How can a place be spectacular yet you want to leave after 2 nights instead of the planned 3? That’s what happened to us at Goosenecks State Park in Mexician Hat, Utah. Mexican Hat was named after Mexican Hat Rock.

Mexican Hat 2

The San Juan River has, over millions of years, carved a 1000 foot canyon with tight turns or goosenecks that are officially called entrenched meandering.

There is a pit toilet, garbage cans and a few sites with picnic tables but for the most part it is primitive camping with spectacular views and breath taking night skies. The view here is every bit as magnificent as the Grand Canyon, albeit smaller.


More than a few people had warned us the it could get windy there. They were right, It never stopped. And that wore us down. It was hard to get too close to the rim because I was afraid a gust of wind would blow me off!!

There was a feller there who had a square tent mounted on a platform on the bed of his pickup truck. He parked it right on the edge of the canyon. I thought he was crazy!!

He did move it back from the edge before night fall.

In the picture of Shiny below, there is a 1000 foot drop between where Sue took the pic and shiny!


After we left Goosenecks we drove to Cortez, CO for one night at a private campground to do laundry, empty the tanks and do some shopping. Then we headed south to Chaco, where it turns out the winds at Goosenecks were just a light breeze.


    1. Thanks for the tip Bob, Maybe next time. We decided to head south rather quickly to find the very elusive warm temperatures.

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