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Glen Canyon NRA, Lake Powell

Introduction Upriver from Lake Powell Marina to Rainbow Bridge Related Links
Downriver from Rainbow Bridge to Lake Powell Marina

Lake Powell slideshow
Click to go directly to the slideshow
Wherever there's a wide area in a river, especially where the water doesn't seem to flow at all, it's usually called a lake. Many of these "lakes" have been formed by putting a dam on the river, and as the reservoir forms behind it, helps to control flooding, conserve water for the public and industry, generate power, and many times, create recreational areas for the public.

When the Glen Canyon Dam was built, its purpose was to do just that. The water backed up from the dam would flood Glen Canyon, creating Lake Powell, an immense reservoir to be used as a water buffer into Lake Mead, generate power for thousands of homes and industry, and create a boating paradise in the Southwestern desert.

Lake Powell extends 139 Colorado River miles from Glen Canyon Dam to the Hite Marina, which is near... uh... nothing. But there is a Colorado River crossing there. It is only about 30 miles short of where the Colorado River comes out of Canyonlands National Park.

XXX Map
Cropped map of Lake Powell. Click for a full map of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. This map was downloaded from the NPS site.
Lake Powell is also the feasible route for most people to Rainbow Bridge National Monument. The spectacular natural bridge is accessible by boat, and is approximately 50 river miles from either the Lake Powell Marina or the Bullfrog Marina.

We took the trip from the Lake Powell Marina to the National Monument in 2008. I'd recommend it, it's a good way to see the bottom end of Lake Powell and Rainbow Bridge.

It took us about 130 minutes to travel to Rainbow Bridge, but that includes a couple of short stops (once to deliver US Mail to the Dangling Rope Marina, believe it or not), and slowing when passing slower traffic such as the numerous houseboats on the lake, which don't take wakes very well. (Trust me on that. We had rented one on Lake Kentucky for a week.)

Even though there were no stops and fewer slowdowns on the way back, it still took 20 minutes longer because of a headwind. If you wear a hat, make sure it ties down to your head.

Upriver from Lake Powell Marina to Rainbow Bridge
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Downriver from Rainbow Bridge to Lake Powell Marina
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Related Links

Colorado River
Colo River Link

The Colorado River starts as a small stream in Rocky Mountain National Park, and gathers hundreds of other streams and rivers along the way to become the lifeline of the Southwest, providing water, electricity and recreation to millions in the five states the river flows through or touches.

I've actually followed the river in one form or another, from Rocky Mountain National Park to Grand Canyon. I've also done more river miles on the Colorado than any other river...
Colorado, Utah and Arizona / 55 Images. Visited Sep 2005, Sep 2008.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Glen Canyon Link

The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area encompasses and products the Colorado River (and many of its tributaries) from Canyonlands to Grand Canyon National Park. It is mostly a creation of the Glen Canyon Dam, which creates a reservoir behind it (Lake Powell) a hundred miles long.

Included on this page is the Navajo Bridge and the Lees Ferry Unit of the park, river level access a dozen miles below the dam.
Arizona, Utah / 47 Images. Visited Sep 1997, Sep 2008.
Glen Canyon Dam, Glen Canyon NRA
Glen Canyon Dam Link Glen Canyon Dam is a 600 foot high thumbnail that holds back the Colorado River creating the massive reservoir named Lake Powell.

I took the Dam tour, and it was a dam... It was an impressive tour which takes you all the way down to the generator room via two sets of elevators. No stairs, but there is some walking involved.

Near Page, Arizona / 56 Images. Visited Sep 2008.
Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Rainbow Bridge Link

Rainbow Bridge National Monument is the largest (known) Natural Bridge in the world, at 290 feet high and 275 feet wide.

It is accessible by boat from Lake Powell, or you can get a permit from the Navajo, and do an arduous 14 mile hike across a sandstone desert.
Near River Mile 49, Lake Powell, Utah / 47 Images. Visited Sep 2008.

Lake Powell Trip Report: Sep 2008.

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