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New Mexico | San Juan River / Farmington to Kirtland

San Juan RiverWestland Park public river access to Kirtland Lions Park public river access

The named Westland-to-Kirtland San Juan float, following the City-marked final navigable river segment to Lions Park.

Route location

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Plan this route

DistanceAbout 5.5 river miles
DifficultyEasy
Typical timeAllow about 2 hours on the water
ShuttleCar shuttle
The San Juan River below Navajo Dam in New Mexico, about 40 river miles upstream of the Farmington access chain.
Route photoSan Juan River near Navajo Dam; same-river context well upstream of this Farmington section, not an endpoint or current-conditions photoPhoto by Phil Slattery via Wikimedia Commons

Need to know

Why this call
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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceAbout 5.5 river milesWestland Park public river access to Kirtland Lions Park public river access
DifficultyeasyA generally gentle downstream float by local operator description, but difficulty changes with water level. Farmington warns that additional hazards may exist beyond those shown on its map.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the downstream vehicle at the named public access, then drive to the upstream launch. Allow extra time for carries and any diversion portage.
PermitsNone notedNo special private-boater permit is listed for these New Mexico reaches, but state boating law, park rules, land-boundary restrictions and any Navajo Nation access rules apply. Confirm current notices.
CampingOptions nearbyDay float only. No authorized on-route campsite is confirmed; do not camp at public access points or on private banks. Use separately permitted lodging or campgrounds.
SeasonJan-DecThe regulated tailwater is generally runnable year-round, but release changes, winter cold, summer heat, thunderstorms and monsoon sediment can change conditions. Check the applicable gauge and current release notices immediately before launch.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

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Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

The named Westland-to-Kirtland San Juan float, following the City-marked final navigable river segment to Lions Park.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Westland Park public river access (water-entry edge)
Open mapDirections to put-in

Westland Park and Kirtland Lions Park are City-designated public river accesses; verify the water-edge landing, parking and current notices before staging.

Finish

Take-out

Kirtland Lions Park public river access (water-entry edge)
Open mapDirections to take-out

City parks and river access are open 6 AM–10 PM March–October and 6 AM–6 PM November–February.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • Westland Park and Kirtland Lions Park are City-designated public river accesses; verify the water-edge landing, parking and current notices before staging.
  • City parks and river access are open 6 AM–10 PM March–October and 6 AM–6 PM November–February.
  • Leave the river only at marked public access points; the City map says to respect private property and remain in your watercraft and on the water.

Watch for

  • Low or changing water and unknown shallow features
  • Wind, thunderstorms, hot-weather exposure and cold-water shock
  • Private banks and limited emergency exits between named public accesses

Plan this paddle

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Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

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Gauge detail

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Gauge

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Weather

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Route gallery

Photos

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The San Juan River below Navajo Dam in New Mexico, about 40 river miles upstream of the Farmington access chain.
San Juan River near Navajo Dam; same-river context well upstream of this Farmington section, not an endpoint or current-conditions photoPhoto by Phil Slattery via Wikimedia Commons
CC BY-SA 4.0; source page and license linked in image sourcing records

Score & sources

Why this score

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Data status
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Why this scoreData reliability: checking

This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.

Why
  • Checking data sources and update times.
Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times

These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.

Gauge siteSan Juan River at Farmington, NM
DischargeChecking
Gauge heightChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
Rain last 72hChecking
Air tempChecking
Water tempChecking
WindChecking
GustsChecking
Rain timingChecking
Preferred rangeNeeds paddler reports
Known low-water floor300 cfs
High thresholdWater-level guidance unavailable
Evidence strength behind the rangeLocal route guidance
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreSouthwest Paddler San Juan River New Mexico access and hazards
Gauge sourceChecking
Weather sourceChecking
Rainfall sourceChecking
NotesWhat to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Named public access and distanceWestland Park public river access to Kirtland Lions Park public river access; 5.5 miles

    Southwest Paddler lists the access coordinates and river-mile sequence; New Mexico Tourism corroborates the upper corridor as a popular relaxing float.

    Source

  • Scoring floor300 cfs minimum planning cue; 500 cfs target

    The 300 cfs cue is reach-specific community guidance. Verify direct gauge telemetry, release trend and local conditions before travel.

    Source

  • Direct telemetryUSGS 09365000 San Juan River at Farmington, NM

    Use the gauge nearest the selected reach and recheck current discharge and trend.

    Source

  • Safety and campingPFD, diversion/fence portage, public access and nearby basecamp

    New Mexico State Parks identifies low-head dams and strainers as serious hazards; Navajo Lake State Park documents developed camping near the upper reach.

    Source

  • City access, length and navigabilityWestland Park to Lions Park: 5.5 mi; Lions Park is the end of navigable river segments

    Current City signage names both public accesses and the route length, and gives PFD, flow-check, weather, hazards, access-hour and private-property rules.

    Source

  • Water-edge coordinate evidenceWestland Park: 36.7331514, -108.2494733; Lions Park: 36.7217139, -108.325675

    The 2024 New Mexico fish tissue study locates both sampling reaches on the San Juan River; the City map independently identifies both parks as public river accesses.

    Source

  • Popular trip demandWestland Park to Kirtland Lions Park

    A local outfitter lists this as its downstream San Juan trip, supporting demand for the named access pair.

    Source

  • Gallery image and reuse rightsSan Juan River near Navajo Dam, New Mexico

    Phil Slattery’s Wikimedia Commons image is CC BY-SA 4.0. It is a same-river context photo, about 40 river miles upstream, not a photograph of this exact Farmington section or current conditions.

    Source

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Keep exploring

More routes to check next

Compare another stretch on this river, or explore different rivers within 75 straight-line miles.

More in New Mexico

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New Mexico route guideBrowse every tracked New Mexico route.San Juan River / Farmington to KirtlandJump to routes in this region.

More on San Juan River

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Among the Waters Park public access to Kirtland Lions Park public river accessSan Juan River / Farmington to KirtlandEasy · About 7.74 river miles via Westland Park (2.24 + 5.5 mi per City signage)Among the Waters Park public access to Westland Park public river accessSan Juan River / Farmington city access chainEasy · About 2.24 river milesBlanco public access to Among the Waters Park public accessSan Juan River / Navajo Dam to FarmingtonEasy · About 28.8 river milesBlanco public access to Vereda del Rio public launchSan Juan River / Navajo Dam to FarmingtonEasy · About 11.9 river miles

Nearby routes within 75 miles

Animas RiverAnimas Park landing to Boyd Park landing · about 5 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 5.5 river milesAnimas RiverPenny Lane landing to Animas Park landing · about 9 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 5.5 river milesAnimas RiverPenny Lane landing to Boyd Park landing · about 9 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 11 river milesAnimas RiverAztec Riverside Park to Penny Lane landing · about 15 straight-line mi awayModerate · About 7.3 river miles

Quick answers

San Juan River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Westland Park public river access to Kirtland Lions Park public river access route on the San Juan River?

Paddle Today watches San Juan River at Farmington, NM and uses 300 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.

Where does the Westland Park public river access to Kirtland Lions Park public river access route on the San Juan River start and end?

This route starts at Westland Park public river access (water-entry edge) and ends at Kirtland Lions Park public river access (water-entry edge), about 5.5 river miles on the water.

Is the Westland Park public river access to Kirtland Lions Park public river access route on the San Juan River suitable for beginners?

This is listed as an easy route, but conditions still matter. Check today's score, water level, weather, and access notes before you go.

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