Lake Powell Travel Guide - Overview

Lake Powell offers almost 2,000 miles of shoreline and almost 100 side canyons. It is a place of great, open bays and big vistas. It is also a place of secluded beaches, coves, and hidden slot canyons. Some of these colorful slot canyons may be only as wide as your boat and hundreds of feet high! That paradox of wide-open and intimate places enchants millions of visitors every year.

Intro to Area | What to Do | How to Get There | Where to Stay | Seasons | Auf Deutsch

Lake Powell is home to magnificent Rainbow Bridge, the largest natural bridge in the world. It is home to the wonderful canyons of the Escalante River, with their bridges, arches, waterfalls, Indian ruins, and other great attractions. Lake Powell offers all kinds of recreational activities. Houseboating is extremely popular as are beach camping, fishing, water skiing, and many more.

Introducing the Lake Powell Area

Glen Canyon Dam, constructed between 1956 and 1963, was the last giant dam complex to be built in the United States. Standing 710 feet tall, it created and impounds Lake Powell, the nation's second largest man-made lake.

Before the dam's coming the area was among the most remote places in the U.S. outside of Alaska. Few people knew about the area's wonders. The city of Page did not even exist. Now with towns and roads and boat travel, Lake Powell and Canyon Country are visited and enjoyed every year by millions of people from all over the world. Access is easy, and every kind of tourist amenity and service is readily available. However there are still remote and unspoiled places for those who want to get away from it all. The lake is so large that privacy is easily found.

The dam was originally built for water storage and hydroelectricity. However Lake Powell's recreational popularity has created a significant tourism industry. Houseboating has become an extremely popular way to get away from it all and enjoy the outdoors. The lake offers all manner of water sports and recreation. The wealth of facilities and services is also a boon to travelers who wish to visit canyon country's great scenic wonders such as the remarkable Rainbow Bridge which was once so remote that the first recorded visit by non-native people was not until 1909. Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce Canyon National Parks are all within three hours drive of Page.

What To Do?

There are endless possibilities for self-guided and guided activities in the Lake Powell area. You can focus on sightseeing or recreation or both. Lake Powell of course offers all kinds of water sports and activities. Houseboating is extremely popular but it is expensive and requires advance reservations. Power boats can be rented at the marinas. Personal watercraft is available in Page. Guided fishing trips are available. You may also go swimming, snorkel, scuba-dive, or go hiking. You can even go on a helicopter tour. Other activities include jeep trips, horseback riding, and raft trips. And most of the area's parks, monuments, and forests offer good camping, hiking trails, and backpacking.

How to Get There?

The nearest major U.S. cities are Las Vegas, Nevada, and Phoenix, Arizona. Both are equidistant (five hours driving) from Page, Arizona, in the heart of canyon country, Las Vegas to the west, Phoenix to the south. International travelers often fly to Los Angeles, California (five hours drive from Las Vegas) and rent RVs there.

From Phoenix, drive north on Interstate 17 to Flagstaff, east on I-40 to the highway US-89 exit. Head north on US-89 to Page. From Las Vegas, drive north on I-15, exit just north of St. George, Utah, east on Utah-9. To visit Zion National Park, continue on highway 9 to US-89. The more direct route goes south on Utah-59 at Hurricane. The road becomes Arizona-389 which meets US-89A at Fredonia, Arizona. To Page and Lake Powell, head north on US-89A to Kanab, Utah, then east on US-89.

Seasons

The rugged canyon country surrounding Lake Powell and the Colorado River watershed has a climate typical of the high desert regions of the American Southwest. Summers are hot with daytime highs often exceeding 100° F. in July and August. Winters are cold but not bitter with highs dropping below 50° F. in December and January. The most pleasant seasons are spring and fall. Year-round recreation is possible as long as you dress warmly in the winter. Accommodations and services are generally discounted in the late fall and winter.

The climate is extremely arid: precipitation is about six inches per year. Light, steady rain (and, rarely, snow) comes with winter storms. Occasional heavy thunderstorms occur during the summer. The prevailing dryness makes the warm summers more comfortable.

Where to Stay?

Flagstaff, Arizona, and St. George, Utah, are small cities and have extensive lodging, restaurants, and recreational facilities. Page, Arizona, is the center of activity in the Lake Powell region, and has extensive tourist amenities and many attractions and guided activities. Wahweap Marina in on the lake and is extensively developed for tourists and visitors including restaurants and lodging. Uplake (just east of the Escalante River), Bullfrog Marina offers extensive services but is a lot less congested than Wahweap. Marble Canyon near Lee's Ferry offers food, lodging, and camping, as does Jacob Lake. Most of the parks and monuments have campgrounds. There are also private campgrounds with additional amenities (electricity, showers).