Lake Powell is a reservoir on the Colorado River, straddling the border between Utah and Arizona near Page. Most of Lake Powell, along with Rainbow Bridge National Monument, is located in Utah. It is a major vacation spot that around two million people visit every year. It is the second largest man-made reservoir by maximum water capacity in the United States behind Lake Mead. And it is beautiful! This area is a national park with an entrance fee of $30 per vehicle.
Lake Powell was created by the flooding of Glen Canyon by the Glen Canyon Dam, which also led to the creation of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, a popular summer destination. The reservoir is named for explorer John Wesley Powell, a one-armed American Civil War veteran who explored the river via three wooden boats in 1869.
From the base on the Glen Canyon Dam you can take a rafting trip on the Colorado River to Horseshoe Bend. The bend is a popular spot to visit at the same elevation level as Page, but it is also interesting to see it from below and perhaps camp there. The Glen Canyon Float Trip offers various amazing half-day and full-day rafting trips on the mighty Colorado River.
If you continue on route 89 north, in about 5-10 minutes you will reach Wahweap Blvd. Turn right and it will take you to the Wahweap Marina and Lake Powell Resort.
Lake Powell is truly stunning. The beautiful blue lake is offset by the contrasting orange sand and desert setting. The Lake Powell Resort is a great place to stay and has several restaurants with the best food and views in the Page area.
The Wahweap Marina has boat tours of the many splendors that can only be accessed by water. Access to various points at Lake Powell can vary dramatically according to water level. Check with the National Park Service for current conditions, marina availability, etc.
They have Boat tours from 1.5 hours to all day. They also have a dinner cruise. We took the Antelope Canyon boat tour with the following highlights:
- Glen Canyon Dam – See the second largest concrete arch dam in the United States.
- Antelope Canyon – Experience the Antelope Canyon, which is over 10 miles long. You will view approximately 4 miles of the canyon wall before it narrows.
- Navajo Sandstone – View towering Navajo Sandstone geologic formations with stunning red and burnt orange rocks.
Perhaps the crown jewel of the Lake Powell landscape is Rainbow Bridge, an astonishing naturally-formed stone bridge arcing over the long-extinct river that sculpted it. This can be seen only on the extended boat tours.
And if you want to go jet skiing or boating on your own, you can rent the equipment at the marina on Lake Powell. They also have various other water toys and kayaks.
And they rent house boats. What a great idea! Then you can traverse the long winding paths of the lake.
Enjoy your visit to Page and Lake Powell! For more blogs on this area please see Horseshoe Bend, Antelope Canyon, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Tombstone and Arizona.
