17 Room Ruin was one of the first ruins I visited on my first trip to Bluff in the late 1990's. Back then, an old wooden swinging bridge provided easy access from near Bluff to cross the San Juan River and hike over to the ruin. Sadly, the swinging bridge washed out, and now visiting the site requires a bit of a drive but not much of a hike.

Though I hadn't visited in a couple of decades, the ruin was every bit as spectacular as I remembered it. Perched in an overhang looking north across the flood plain to the San Juan River, this is a beautiful place to build a home. It is easy to imagine tending to fields on the floodplain and watching waterfalls from your home in the alcove during monsoon season.

This is a great ruin with fairly easy access. That being said, the hike to visit the ruin proper is very steep. Most won't have a problem, but not a good choice for those with limited mobility.

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