San Juan River photo by Tim Avery

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Description:
The San Juan River cuts east to west across southern San Juan county emptying into Lake Powell.  The river is lined with a mix of Fremont Cottonwood, willow, Russian Olives and Salt Cedar.

Birding:
The campground provides a loop that can be walked along a good sized patch of trees.  West of the 191 bridge is mostly Salt Cedar and Russian Olive, but there are some cottonwoods set further back from the river.  The summers are hot here and bird activity is limited.  Spring and fall bring migrants that stop in and/or follow the river after covering vast expanses of desert.  LUCY'S WARBLER are common breeders here, while one can expect other warbler, empids, and sparrows during migration.  During the winter, flocks of White-crowned Sparrows roam the corridor, and have included GOLDEN-CROWNED, and WHITE-THROATED SPARROWS in the past.  Large concentrations of WOOD DUCKS have also been observed here in the winter.

Directions:
From the Gas Station on the west end of Bluff follow Hwy 191 for 2.4 miles west to the turnoff on your left at Sand Island Road.  Follow the road to the campground where you can park in several of the day use areas.  You can also bird the river further west by continuiong on Hwy 191 another .8 miles from the campground turnoff,  and taking the left where 191 goes south towards the river.  Just before you get to the bridge there is a dirt turnoff on the right that drops down to the river.  Park down here to bird along the river here.