Natural History Institute: Natural History of the San Juan River

Late evening light ignites the varnished hues of high desert sandstone. The deepening shadows make the peckings of ancient rock art more visible. Bouquets of yellow prince’s plume flowers burst forth from the crevices between boulders at the bases of cliffs. As the light fades, the first planets pop out of the heavens, then come the stars, two, three, hundreds. A few Yellow-breasted Chats throw out their last evening songs from deep inside of desert olive thickets. The whole time the river glides by, quietly in places, roaring in others, slowly taking away the whole scene grain by grain. Join NHI and David Gilligan for an extraordinary trip along the San Juan River as it moves through the bent, layered rocks and ribbon-like riparian woods of the Colorado Plateau. While traveling downriver, we will explore the geology, botany, ecology, and human history of the river corridor and adjacent slickrock and desert landscapes. We will bird by morning, interpret geology and vegetation ecology by day, and learn our way across the star-strewn sky at night. We will travel in the spirit of the exploratory naturalists who have gone before us, with qualified river guides, a skilled naturalist, and the camaraderie and collective knowledge of all participants. The river trip is a fully guided experience. You can expect professionally guided river travel, facilitated natural history programming throughout each day, and a casual, relaxed, communal environment in the evenings at camp. All meals are provided by the guide crew, and you can look forward to tasty, delicious food with options throughout the trip. All parts of the program are designed for maximum participation and all ability levels: our goal by day is to travel downriver and practice natural history together, and by evening to tell stories about it. Where: San Juan River – Sand Island to Mexican Hat When: May 27, 2025 through May 31, 2025 Number of Days/Nights: Five days and four nights Transportation: Vans depart 8 am from the Natural History Institute, Prescott; return 8 pm to the Natural History Institute or provide your own transport to the Sand Island Group Campground, located near Bluff, Utah. Group Size: Maximum 22 Age Group: Adults and youth 16+ Cost per Person: $1,100 May 27 - 31