Glen Canyon National
Recreation Area/Lake Powell
Overview -
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, established in 1972, provides a dramatic example of one of nature's most inspiring settings, combined with a monumentally ambitious human project. Impounded behind the Bureau of Reclamation's Glen Canyon Dam, waters of the Colorado River and tributaries are backed up almost 186 miles, forming Lake Powell.
The lake has 1,986 miles of shoreline, and by the time the dam was completed in 1963, it took another 14 years to fill the lake. Since then, Lake Powell has proven to be a premier attraction for millions of visitors from all over the world. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area comprises more than a million acres in southern Utah and northern Arizona surrounding Lake Powell.
The lake has 1,986 miles of shoreline, and by the time the dam was completed in 1963, it took another 14 years to fill the lake. Since then, Lake Powell has proven to be a premier attraction for millions of visitors from all over the world. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area comprises more than a million acres in southern Utah and northern Arizona surrounding Lake Powell.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is open year-round. The highest visitation is in the summer season. In the winter months, Glen Canyon's visitor centers and Lake Powell's marinas have reduced services.
- Carl Hayden Visitor Center, Page, AZ, daily, Memorial Day - Labor Day, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; daily, November through February, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., rest of year, daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. Attractions: Free tours of the dam, exhibits, video shows, a relief map of the entire Glen Canyon area. Restrooms and a bookstore. Potential Junior Rangers are invited to come earn a badge.New dinosaur exhibit at the Carl Hayden Visitor Center! The National Park Service and Bureau of Reclamation bring you the Museum of Northern Arizona's Therizinosaur: the Mystery of the Sickle-Claw Dinosaur exhibit, on display for a year beginning March 2011.
- Bullfrog Visitor Center, Bullfrog, UT:Bullfrog, UT, intermittently beginning in May. Call 435-684-7423 for exact times. Attractions: Exhibits relating to geology and the human and natural history of Glen Canyon. Ancestral Puebloan ("anasazi") and pioneer artifacts. A life-size model of a slot canyon. Bookstore, restrooms, medical clinic (May thru early October only)
- Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center, near Lees Ferry, daily mid-April - October, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends only, early April and November, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Attractions: Bookstore, outdoor exhibits, and self guided walks across the historic Navajo Bridge. This is a popular spot to look for a California Condor.
Wahweap Marina and lodge, 5.5 miles from the Carl Hayden Visitor Center
The Glen Canyon Natural History Association operates park bookstores. Regularly scheduled ranger programs are available seasonally.
Special Events / Programs
Call the park for specific dates and times of special events.
- January: Hole-in-the-Rock Commemoration
- March: Lake Powell Marathon (Wahweap)
- April: Lake Powell Hot Air Balloon Regatta (Wahweap)
- July: Fireworks display at Wahweap and Bullfrog
- November: Parade of Boat Lights (Bullfrog)
- December: Parade of Boat Lights (Wahweap)
New Year's Eve Ball (Wahweap)
Accessibility
- Visitor Centers and other public buildings within the recreation area are accessible. Concession facilities are accessible.
Special Needs
- Shuttle vans are available at Wahweap, Bullfrog, Halls Crossing and Hite. A medical clinic, staffed by a Physician's Assistant, is open in Bullfrog from approximately May 15 to October 1.
Glen Canyon NRA / Lake Powell
P. O. Box 1507
Page, Arizona 86040
Headquarters: (928) 608-6200
24 Hour Emergency (800) 582-4351
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Lake Powell video The completion of the Glen Canyon Dam in 1963 created Lake Powell. It took another 14 years to fill the lake. With almost 2,000 miles of shoreline, and five marinas.
Glen Canyon Dam - Lake Powell Held behind the Bureau of Reclamation's Glen Canyon Dam, waters of the Colorado River and tributaries are backed up almost 186 miles, forming Lake Powell. The dam was completed in 1963. Take a look at this tremendous feat of engineering - the Glen Canyon Dam.
Lake Mead - Houseboating & Viewing Hoover Dam DesertUSA rented a houseboat to explore the western part of Lake Mead. Our first stop was the Hoover Dam off the Boulder Basin. Without Hoover Dam, Lake Mead wouldn't exist today. Come along with DesertUSA staff as they explore Lake Mead and check out Hoover Dam. Take a look at the cove where we camped, and the Bighorn Sheep encounter we had there!
Laughlin - Lake Mohave - Colorado River
In the summer, Katherine's Landing at the southern end of Lake Mohave is a hub of activity. It has fuel, a general store, a restaurant and a snack bar. The Colorado River south of the dam offers many recreational opportunities. Take a look at this river destination!
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Books & Intro. Packages
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The Boater's Guide & Map Intro. Package to Lake Powell includes detailed information, maps and black and white photographs of Lake Powell. Click here to review.
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Lake Mead Guide & Map Intro. Package -Click here to review.
Map
Glen Canyon NRA Map: Capitol Reef NP & Rainbow Bridge NRA included.Click here to review
Are you interested in the temperatures in the
desert?Click here to see current desert temperatures!
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