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Bluff
- Weather: Mostly Clear, 66F
Tucked between sandstone cliffs and the San Juan River. Rich in human and natural history, Bluff is a central point along the Trail of the Ancients National Scenic Byway, serving as a gateway to quintessential Southeastern Utah destinations such as Monument Valley, Bears Ears National Monument, Valley of the Gods and Hovenweep National Monument.
Ancestral Puebloans were the first to settle the area, leaving behind an impressive array of rock art, abandoned dwellings, and other artifacts as clues to their lives in this harsh desert landscape. Nomadic Paiute, Ute, and Navajo tribes also traveled through the Bluff region, leaving their own archeological marks as well as modern-day influences on the local culture. Mormon pioneers hoping to establish a farming community along the San Juan River founded historic Bluff City during the famous “Hole in the Rock” expedition of 1880.Boutique lodges, inns, and guesthouses offer unique accommodation options for visitors, along with several campgrounds and RV parks. Dining in Bluff is marked by distinctly local, unfussy bistros and cafes serving up comfort food in cozy settings.
Getting There
Bluff is two hours south of Moab on Highway 191, and about 330 miles southeast of Salt Lake City. Situated near the Four Corners, Bluff is a 2-hour drive from Durango, Colorado and Farmington, New Mexico.
Local Highlights
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Bluff Fort Historic Site
Bluff, UT
When you visit this area, you’ll really get a feeling for what life was like as a pioneer. You can walk around the original Bluff Fort, that has been rebuilt and restored through the efforts of the local organization, the Hole in the Rock Foundation.
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Sand Island Petroglyphs
Bluff, UT
Handprints, horned animals, hunters and a Kokopelli playing a flute are some of the extraordinary petroglyphs on display at Sand Island, a significant and easily accessible archaeological site located just outside of Bluff, Utah.
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What's Nearby
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Bears Ears National Monument
Blanding, UT
A pair of towering buttes stand against beautiful scenery. The twin buttes are so distinctive that in each of the native languages of the region their name is the same: Hoon'Naqvut, Shash Jáa, Kwiyagatu Nukavachi, Ansh An Lashokdiwe, or in English: Bears Ears.
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Blanding
Blanding, UT
Blanding blends cowboy culture with Native American and prehistoric history. The Edge of the Cedars State Park & Museum features the largest display of Ancestral Puebloan artifacts in the Four Corners region, and the Dinosaur Museum, a federal fossil repository, showcases life-size models, skeletons, and a 250-million-year-old petrified tree.
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Bluff Fort Historic Site
Bluff, UT
When you visit this area, you’ll really get a feeling for what life was like as a pioneer. You can walk around the original Bluff Fort, that has been rebuilt and restored through the efforts of the local organization, the Hole in the Rock Foundation.
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Canyonlands National Park
Moab, UT
Canyonlands is home to many different types of travel experiences, from sublime solitude in the more remote stretches of the park to moderate hikes through the Needles district to the opportunity to create your own version of one of the West's most photographed landforms, Mesa Arch.
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Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum
Blanding, UT
Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum in Blanding, Utah, is the site of a prehistoric Native American village. Explore history here!
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Four Corners Area
Bluff, UT
Visit the Four Corners area of Utah and learn about each of the Four Corners states--Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. Plan your visit now!
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Glen Canyon and Lake Powell
Lake Powell, UT
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area offers more than 1.2 million acres of unparalleled opportunities for land- and water-based recreation.
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Goosenecks State Park
Mexican Hat, UT
Located north of Mexican Hat, Goosenecks State Park is an easy-to-get-to area with a million-dollar view. The San Juan River begins in the mountains of Colorado and travels to its junction with the Colorado River at Lake Powell.
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Goulding's Lodge
Oljato-Monument Valley, UT
Looking for Monument Valley Lodging? Goulding’s Lodge offers rooms with a view as well as guided tour excursions, a trading post museum and restaurant.
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Greater Cedar Mesa
Moab, UT
The Cedar Mesa area encompasses up to 1.9 million acres and is home to more than 100,000 archaeological sites. For adventurers with a love of solitude, archaeology and geographic beauty, this area has it all.
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Hiking the Wildcat Trail
Oljato-Monument Valley, UT
The Wildcat Trail is a 3.2-mile loop hike (4 miles total, including the return) into one of the most scenic areas that Monument Valley has to offer. This trail lets hikers feel like they stepped back in time into the Wild West.
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Horseshoe Canyon
Horseshoe Canyon is a remote section of Canyonlands National Park that was added in 1972. Formerly known as Barrier Canyon, this area is home to some of the most impressive rock art created by the ancient Barrier Culture.
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Hovenweep National Monument
Hovenweep, the Ute Indian word meaning ‘deserted valley,' stands as a sentinel of Ancestral Puebloan ruins in a landscape of sage and juniper. Info from VisitUtah.com.
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Indian Creek
Moab, UT
Indian Creek, in the north of Bears Ears National Monument, is known as a rock climbing mecca. Whether you get up on the wall or decide to drive, it's easy to appreciate the scenery from a lower vantage point as you cruise the 41-mile state scenic byway.
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Manti-La Sal National Forest
Monticello, UT
The Manti-La Sal National Forest consists of three blocks located in central, eastern and southeastern Utah. The area has an abundance of lakes and is great for fishing, hiking and more.
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Mexican Hat
Mexican Hat, UT
Mexican Hat sits along the San Juan River among impressive rock formations. The town gets its name from a rock formation that resembles an overturned sombrero. Get free travel guides and maps for planning your next Utah vacation.
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Monticello
Monticello, UT
The southeastern Utah town of Monticello lies on the sheltered eastern slope of the Abajo Mountains, overlooking a maze of sandstone canyons and plateaus.
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Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
Oljato-Monument Valley, UT
Monument Valley, Utah, an iconic symbol of the American West, is the sacred heart of the Navajo Nation and the ideal setting for your next adventure in the warm, high desert climate of southeastern Utah.
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Muley Point Overlook
Mexican Hat, UT
One of San Juan County’s hidden gems, the Muley Point Overlook has sweeping vistas to the south and includes clear views of the canyons below at sunrise and sunset.
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Natural Bridges National Monument
Lake Powell, UT
As you start to descend toward Natural Bridges National Monument, the groundcover becomes more luxuriant and the trees taller. You cannot see the chaotic landscape of Natural Bridges from the highway– it is only revealed once inside the park.
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Newspaper Rock & Indian Creek Corridor
Monticello, UT
You’ll find the largest collection of Utah petroglyphs at Newspaper Rock along Indian Creek Scenic Byway west of US 191.
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Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Lake Powell, UT
Considered sacred in Navajo culture, Rainbow Bridge is a symbol of deities responsible for creating rain, the essence of life in the desert.
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Sand Island Petroglyphs
Bluff, UT
Handprints, horned animals, hunters and a Kokopelli playing a flute are some of the extraordinary petroglyphs on display at Sand Island, a significant and easily accessible archaeological site located just outside of Bluff, Utah.
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Valley of the Gods
Mexican Hat, UT
Perhaps one of the most intriguing names of all of the destinations in San Juan County is the Valley of the Gods. This special area attracts individuals looking for idyllic sandstone structures.