Goosenecks State Park
On the edge of a deep canyon above the sinuous river meander known as a gooseneck, this small park affords impressive views of one of the most striking examples of an entrenched river meander on the North American continent. The San Juan River twists and turns through the meander, flowing a distance of over six miles while advancing one and half miles west on its way to Lake Powell. Gaze at the results of 300 million years of geological activity, where the San Juan River winds and carves its way through the desert 1,000 feet below.
Millions of years ago, the land here was relatively flat, and the river meandered on its course. Then a period of uplift occurred on the Colorado Plateau. As the land rose, the river flowed faster while still following its meandering course. The river cut into the land, eventually creating the impressive entrenched meanders seen at Goosenecks State Park today. Eroded by water, wind, frost, and gravity, this is truly a magnificent viewpoint.
The headwaters of the San Juan River are in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado, which is the origin of 90 percent of the river’s flow. The San Juan flows 360 miles from its source to the Colorado River, starting at an elevation of 14,000 feet and dropping to 3,600 feet at Lake Powell. The river is named for San Juan Bautista, Spanish for St. John the Baptist. Ancestors of today’s Pueblo people lived in canyon tributaries of the San Juan, leaving behind images on stone, storage structures, and remnants of small masonry communities.
At Goosenecks, the views extend for miles. Alhambra Rock is the dark volcanic intrusion that looms on the horizon, beyond Mexican Hat. The buttes and spires of Monument Valley lie to the southwest.
Sightseeing, photography, star gazing, hiking at nearby Honaker Trail, pet-friendly, picnicking, and camping. Please note: There are no hiking or bike trails within the Park. Bikes are permitted on public roads only. Goosenecks State Park can be intensely hot during summer months, and there is no shade.
Admission & Hours
Open year-round, no closures
Entrance Fees
$5 per car
$2 per person, commercial tour bus or tour group
$10 per night for camping
Getting There:
Driving Directions
25 miles west of Bluff along US 163, west on SR 261, then southwest on SR 316
Maps:
Interactive Google Map
Use the map + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views. Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.
Facilities
Goosenecks State Park offers picnic areas, primitive camping, vault toilets, and an observation shelter.
Location Contact Information:
c/o Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum
660 West 400 North
Blanding, UT 84511
(435) 678-2238
Nearest City or Town:
Mexican Hat Utah
Goosenecks State Park Gallery
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More Photographic Destinations in Utah:
Interactive Google Map
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Great Places for Great Photos
Let me help you to find a great location for your next photography adventure. I will list many lesser-known destinations, as well as the famous "Icon Locations" for photography. I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination. I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip. I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to ensure a quality guide to great locations for photography. If you know of great places that are not posted, please send me the details, I may just decide that is a place I need to go!
Greg Disch is a freelance photographer located in Arkansas. Greg specializes in nature, scenic, wildlife, and other outdoor subjects in Arkansas and other areas of the country. Most of the images on this site are available for sale as prints, personal use, or rights managed stock photos.
Greg offers both classroom instruction and in the field hands on photographic workshops. Classroom sessions are normally held in Fort Smith Arkansas, but arrangements can be made to bring a class to your group.
All classes and workshops have small class sizes designed to provide an optimum student to instructor ratio, where you can get the personal attention, you need. Most classes and workshops are limited to a maximum of six participants and will be held with a minimum of only two.
If you are looking for a wonderful opportunity to get personal individual instruction, I do private workshops and classes at a location of your choice, whether doing a location photo shoot, coming to your home or business, traveling across the country on a road trip, or at my classroom. This is a fantastic way to learn digital workflow and be sure that your computer equipment is properly configured for optimum performance.
