For thousands of years the river and its surrounding corridor have been utilized by hunters, gathers, farmers, and fisherman. The river’s earliest inhabitants, the Ancestral Puebloan, farmed the local flood plains as early as 1AD until 1300 BC. Archaeologists believe that a major drought occurred in the surrounding area around 1300 BC that resulted in the abandonment of the numerous cliff dwellings, kivas, and habitation sites affiliated with the Ancestral Puebloan people. Following the abandonment of the area, Ute and Navajo occupation of the San Juan River corridor proved useful for gathering of wild plants, hunting and grazing for sheep, horses and goats.

Occupation by several indigenous groups over thousands of years is evident by the large quantity of cultural resources associated with the San Juan River. Cultural resources are the material and non-material phenomena of culture. They include intangible by-products of culture such as language, oral traditions, and shared beliefs, as well as tangible materials such as archaeological sites, objects, and human remains. The term cultural resources can be used to include any object, location, or idea of a past and present culture that has significance and value to a cultural group.

The oral traditions of modern day tribes are connected to the San Juan River. Modern day tribes that claim affiliation to the river include Hopi, Navajo, Ute, Paiute, and Zuni. The Navajo Tribe is intimately involved with the San Juan River because their reservation boundaries include the south side of the river. The Navajo provide evidence of affiliation to the San Juan River by it’s inclusion in ceremonial practices, “the Night Way chant, a Navajo ceremony, was created at the San Juan River and the River’s significance is still included in the ceremonial chant" (Begay 2006).

Many archaeological sites exist alongside the San Juan River, including cliff dwellings, towers, great houses, pit houses, caves, open sites, ceremonial kivas, rock art panels, prehistoric roads, storage and processing areas, lithic sources and manufacturing sites, lithic scatters and many more types of sites. The San Juan River’s significance to its surrounding area and its connection to people and all wildlife throughout history cannot be easily measured.

The San Juan River has played an active role in the history of the southwest. Our applied anthropological project is focused on overall goals of preservation, protection, and sustainability of the San Juan River and its resources. The history of the San Juan and its archaeological sites contain the material remnants of cultures past, and are therefore meaningful in our nation’s prehistory and have a value for everyone. In order to preserve these sites, please do not pick up artifacts, stay on the trails that cross sites, and do not deface rock art. By taking these very simple precautions, we can preserve the beauty and history of the San Juan River corridor for future generations.