Dory Moon presents: The Ol' San Juan, 2018

Rising in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, the San Juan River winds its way through the Four Corners area of the Southwest on its way to join the Colorado River in Lake Powell. As it does so it dissects the heartland of the Ancient Puebloan culture and lays open some 300 million years worth of rock strata bent into rainbows of stone. The rapids are small but enjoyable, the current fast and, in high water, sand waves add a surprise ride here and there.

Most sensible folks do a three- to five-day trip, putting in near the towns of Bluff or Mexican Hat. But we’re Dory Moon and we just don’t do that. We want to go further. And slower. And do more, see more, relax more. We don’t just want to go there—we want to be there.

In May we are assembling a unique expedition launching way up at Four Corners and spending the first four days traveling through rarely visited desert terrain. Pueblo ruins, archaic rock art, a ruined trading post, all in the moonscape of Morrison Formation—the multicolored stone of dinosaur age.

On day four we’ll pass Bluff and enter the better-known stretch of the river. More ruins, more rock art, crazy geology, traces of the Mormon migrations, stunning scenery, and incredible hiking. A few days later we’ll drop into the limestone gorge of the San Juan.

On our eighth night we will tie up below the San Juan Inn in Mexican Hat and spend the night indoors. Time for a shower, a soft bed, flush toilets, and a meal made by someone else. Evening cocktails overlooking the gorge, the river, and our gaily painted wooden dories.

Next morning we begin winding our way downcanyon through the Goosenecks. More geology, more great hikes. Mid-morning on our thirteenth day we’ll land at Clay Hills Crossing, haul out, return to Monticello, and wonder why we didn’t plan a 26-day trip.

Our crew roster includes Andy Hutchinson and Kate Thompson, dory makers and great musicians, RJ Johnson, geologist, Tim Cooper and Brad Dimock, boatbuilders and raconteurs, and Lyle Balenquah, Hopi archaeologist. 

We’ll be running vintage wooden Briggs dories, and bringing along an inflatable kayak or two for the adventurous. As usual, our diehard regulars have already booked many of the spots, so let us know pronto if you want to go. Our outfitter this year is Four Corners School, based in Monticello, Utah, where we will meet the evening of May 14. Hotel that night, as well as the San Juan Inn on night eight, are included.

A $500 deposit holds your spot. Mail it to: Dory Moon Expeditions, Box 473, Dolores, Colorado 81323. We look forward to seeing you there. Woohoo!