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San Juan County


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San Juan County Facts:

County Website: San Juan County
Area: 7,933 square miles
Population: 15,449 (2018)
County Seat: Monticello
Origin of County Name: after the San Juan River
Cities/Towns: Blanding, Bluff, Monticello
Economy: livestock, agriculture, mining, tourism
Points of Interest: Natural Bridges National Monument, Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Hovenweep National Monument, Lake Powell, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Canyonlands National Park, Edge of the Cedars State Park, St. Christopher's Episcopal Mission, Navajo Indian Reservation

 

About San Juan County:

San Juan County is in the southern part of the Colorado Plateau region of Utah. The county was first home to the early Anasazi Basket Makers in 1300 A.D. and much later the DINE' (Navajo) people who are still living in the area today. When the white man came to the area they made the “Hole in the Rock” trail on the way. As a means of income, the people in the area have tried farming, ranching, mining, and tourism with tourism as the most promising. Lake Powell, on San Juan’s western border, has brought many visitors.

When people see pictures of San Juan County they might think, “I’ve seen this before.” Chances are they have. Places like Monument Valley are famous for their unique vistas and pinnacles of rock that have been filmed several times as parts of movies. Also in the area you can find Four Corners National Monument where a person can stand in four states at once, Rainbow Bridge boasting the largest natural arch in the world, and Canyonlands which provides beautiful canyon vistas without having to drive all the way to the Grand Canyon. The San Juan river has created many tall mesas such as Goosenecks State Park that leave the visitor wondering how many years it took to create it. Dinosaur enthusiasts will want to check out the Dinosaur Museum in Blanding, Utah. A visit to San Juan will not be forgotten.

 

Resources:

More information for San Juan County can be found at the following sites:

Gallery:


San Juan County Courthouse in Monticello, Utah.
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The Frederick Isaac and Mary M. Jones House, a historic home in Monticello, Utah.
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A barn and farmyard south of Monticello, Utah.
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A barn south of Monticello, Utah.
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The Abajo Mountains near Monticello, Utah.
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Church Rock in Canyonlands National Park. The La Sal Mountains are in the background.
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A sign welcoming visitors to San Juan County.
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Sign for Whitecrack campground in San Juan County.
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 Chesler Park in Canyonlands National Park, Utah.
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Big Spring Canyon Overlook in the Canyonlands National Park.
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Ancestral Puebloan ruins in southern Utah’s spectacular Cedar Mesa.
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700 year old granary called House on Fire in Cedar Mesa, Utah.
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Lake Powell, Utah.
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At the bottom of Hole in the Rock in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah.
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Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Utah.
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Sipapu Bridge is a natural bridge or arch located in the Natural Bridges National Monument.
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Hovenweep National Monument Visitor Center, Utah.
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Cutthroat Castle, Hovenweep National Monument, Utah.
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Square Tower, Hovenweep National Monument, Utah.
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Holly Pueblo, Hovenweep National Monument, Utah.
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Remnants of the old schoolhouse and pioneer's meeting house in Bluff, Utah.
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The John Albert Scorup House is in Bluff, Utah.
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West Mitten Butte Monument Valley, Utah
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John Ford's Point in Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park.
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The Four Corners Monument.
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A plaque in the center of the Four Corners Monument marking where the borders of the four states meet.
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