One can also hike and fish downstream from the Simon Canyon parking lot and frequently see geese on the water, turkeys in the woods or bald eagles nesting amid the towering, cottonwoods.Īnglers here will find numerous in-stream, habitat improvements along this quiet stretch of river which has vastly improved the fishing here, making the Simon Canyon area a great side trip during a visit to the San Juan River.įor more information about the Simon Canyon area check out the Farmington section of the Bureau of Land Management’s New Mexico website at Steam Locomotive Headed for Durango, Colorado. Simon Canyon also offers access to a river trail that heads upstream past E.T Rock, under the rim-rock and through the woods to Baetis Bend, where angling on the far bank is generally less crowded and more productive.
Navajo Indians are thought to have lived in this canyon sometime during the early 1700s and probably abandoned the site due to frequent raids by marauding Ute Indians. Pass the oil and gas rig at the top and then walk along the rim rock until you see the fort atop a big boulder on the edge of the rim-rock. To find the Indian ruins, hike around the gate at the top end of the lot, across the arroyo and up the dirt road. Drive past the campground entrance to the end of the road and park in the gravel lot.īeware though, this dirt road can be slick and treacherous when muddy or wet. 173 on the far side of the San Juan River and upstream of Cottonwood Campground. Simon Canyon can be found on the end of Road #4280 located off State Rd.
Simon CanyonĪnd a trip to the San Juan River at Navajo Dam also isn’t complete without a visit to Simon Canyon where an old Indian fort is built atop a huge boulder overlooking the arroyo and the San Juan river below.Īnglers can also hike upstream from Simon Canyon, along the river and beneath the rim rock to the great fishing found at Baetis Bend and beyond. The Cottonwood trees at Simon Canyon on the San Juan River come alive with color in the Fall.