Bluff was settled on April 6, 1880 in Bluff Valley, a narrow, cliff-lined valley cut through the deserts of south-east Utah by the San Juan River. While scrawny-looking desert vegetation dominates the scenery for miles in every direction, an abundance of cottonwood trees held the promise of well water. The San Juan River passes along the cliffs lining the south edge of the valley, while Bluff is nestled against cliffs on the northern edge. The Cottonwood Wash emerges from a canyon to the north and passes through the middle of Bluff, being dry except following heavy rain storms. The cliffs sport fantastic rock formations including the Navajo Twins and Sunbonnet Rock.
