Life in San Juan

Americas 250 encourages walking

There are no shortages of walks in San Juan County and the Americas 250 events in 2026 provide motivation and even a little swag for those who participate. The Walk 250 Challenge encourages participants to log miles walking throughout the year and San Juan County offers some incredible places to...

A caravan of bicyclists, hikers, runners and horseback riders will make their way through San Juan County along the American Discovery Trail in August on a 6800-mile cross-country trek across the nation. There are many opportunities for local residents to join the group. Photo courtesy Utahs Canyon Country

Cross country for Americas 250

A large caravan will mark America’s 250 this summer in an epic marathon across the United States, traversing more than 6,800 miles on the American Discovery Trail. Participants can join the event on daily stages as it makes its way across the nation, with opportunities to walk, run, ride horses, or...

A free interactive open house, featuring a recreation of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus Christ, will be presented from 6 to 8 p.m. each evening from April 2 to 5 at the Monticello Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Courtesy photo

Community Easter Celebration

I love living in San Juan County. Last week my too kind and loving wife and I went hiking and found an arch that I didn’t know even existed. As we walked in, there was not a discernable human footprint. I am sure a few cowboys probably know where it is, but not many of the general public. So I...

Easter events planned in San Juan County

Join the First Baptist Church of Monticello in celebrating the resurrection of the Savior with several special services on Easter Sunday. First, is a Sunrise Service at 7 a.m. at Loyds Lake. Following the sunrise service the remaining activities will take place at the church location, 116 East 500...

In case of emergency, do not do this

by Sally Jack We recently attended an event where we were taught about the importance of having and/or updating a grab-and-go 72 hour emergency kit. In an emergency, it typically takes three days before power, water, and food supplies can be restored. No one knows when a disaster will strike, so it...

Precilla Romero celebrates 80th birthday

Precilla Romero recently celebrated her 80th birthday with a huge party. A huge thank you from this family for making Precilla’s 80th birthday so unforgettable. From the generous donations and to the delicious food! To see her surrounded by her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sisters...

Nature-based school opening in Monument Valley

A new school is preparing to open in Monument Valley and the community is invited to help bring it to life. Life Mission School, a nonprofit K–12 microschool is expanding from Monticello to add a second campus in Monument Valley. The home of the new school is the former Seventh-day Adventist school...

Blanding Artist Kelly Pugh has created several murals in Blanding telling the history of the community. See more photos at sjrnews.com. Courtesy photo

Local artist paints murals telling the history, setting of Blanding

By Janet Wilcox Contributing Writer Many have heard of “painting the town red” but local artist Kelly Pugh is painting to preserve the history of Blanding in multiple colors! In the beginning of this journey, Lisa Carr wrote a grant requesting funds from Energy Fuels which would be used to...

A shootout with guns, horses and bows and arrows, is captured in an historic petroglyph along the San Juan River. See more photos at sjrnews.com. Courtesy photo

Historic Petroglyphs to be found along the San Juan River

By Andrew Gulliford Along the San Juan River, thousands of prehistoric petroglyphs from ancient Native cultures are written in stone. What is less common are historic glyphs, but in special places these stories on stone are carved on rock by Indigenous people. Those stories trace events as well as...

Hike the Spanish Trail with America 250

by Sally Jack Staff writer What was happening in San Juan County in the year 1776 while the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, and George Washington crossed the Delaware with his troops during the Revolutionary War? Dominguez and Escalante, the first known European explorers...