San Juan Hill
Tagged Under:
  • Hiking
  • Locale: Comb Ridge
  • Time: Half Day
  • Fee: None

Climb the steep San Juan Hill to relive the historic Hole-in-the-Rock expedition of 1879-1880. From the top of this section of Comb Ridge, enjoy scenic views of the San Juan River and a historic inscription. There are no facilities or water available at San Juan Hill.

Special Considerations

If accessing this hike by the road, a high clearance 4WD vehicle is required. There are numerous wash crossings, beware of quicksand. The road changes regularly due to flooding.

  • Tips For Visiting Here with Respect
     Avoid Building Cairns

    Avoid Building Cairns

    Building cairns can impact sensitive sites and are a form of vandalism to the natural world. You might not realize it, but some stacked stones may be ancestral shrines. Leave placement of trail directional signs and leveling of cairns to land managers.

     Don’t Touch Rock Imagery or Make Your Own

    Don’t Touch Rock Imagery or Make Your Own

    Natural oils on your hands can destroy delicate rock imagery. Vandalism of petroglyphs and pictographs erases stories of early Indigenous peoples and destroys the experience for future visitors.

     Use Rubber-Tipped Poles

    Use Rubber-Tipped Poles

    A rubber tip prevents your hiking pole from scratching and scarring subtle rock images on the ground.

  • Maps and Directions
  • Coordinates: 37.221773, -109.697621
  • Directions:

    Vehicle Access: With a high clearance vehicle or OHV, travel west from Bluff along Hwy 191 and continue onto Hwy 163 for a total of 7.5 miles. Turn left at the bottom of the hill onto Comb Wash Road (SJC RD 235). Travel for 4.8 miles along a 4WD road to parking.