Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

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Lake Powell

Glen Canyon [1] is a vast United States National Recreation Area in Utah's Canyon Country.

[edit] Understand

Glen Canyon is an mind-bogglingly vast canyon in deep red rock country, which has been filled with North America's largest man made lake, Lake Powell. Surrounded by nothing but red slick rock, the crystal blue lake is strikingly out of place and looks like it belongs on Mars. Lake Powell would be totally deserted were it not for its popularity with house-boat owners, who sail around this dead and beautiful expanse. The desert surrounding the lake is mostly uninhabited except for grazing long horn steer, jackrabbits, and lizards.

[edit] History

[edit] Landscape

[edit] Flora and fauna

[edit] Climate

[edit] Get in

Getting into Lake Powell pretty much requires a boat launched from a local marina, as the lake is surrounded by steep sandstone cliffs—that is, unless you are very ambitious.

[edit] Fees/Permits

[edit] Get around

[edit] By guided tour

A number of companies provide guided tours of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Powell that include transportation from the surrounding areas. Some companies will provide bus travel from nearby towns while others begin in the Glen Canyon/Lake Powell Area. Some will provide just a brief tour with small stops, while others may take you on a hike, and arrange all your meals.

• Hydros Adventures Tours, 928-310-8141. [2] Offers one day and overnight hiking, rafting, backpacking, and adventure tours to Lake Powell/Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, the Grand Canyon, Northern Arizona, and Southern Utah. Pickups in Phoenix, Las Vegas, and the Grand Canyon area.

[edit] See

[edit] Do

[edit] Buy

[edit] Eat

[edit] Drink

Glen Canyon is definitely BYOB territory and you had better bring gallons of water for your trip.

[edit] Sleep

[edit] Lodging

[edit] Camping

[edit] Backcountry

The Park Service requires that you register before camping in the backcountry, mostly just so that they know who is where when in case of an emergency. But while it is in your best interest to do so, registering is pretty much optional as the area is very lightly patrolled and pretty much anywhere is a campsite.

[edit] Stay safe

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area has a severe desert climate and it is very dangerous to head out into this wild expanse without proper preparations and gallons of water. If you are the least bit unsure as to what constitutes "proper preparations," visit a National Park Service visitor center before heading into the backcountry.

If driving in the area, carry extra gas and plan your route to take into account the very long distances between gas stations.

As with most of Canyon Country, flash floods are a sporadic, but ever-present danger. Be sure to avoid parking in a wash and never head into a canyon before checking the current weather report—far-off rainstorms will flood canyons even if they are miles away from the downpour.

[edit] Get out

• Head northwest into Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, north to Capitol Reef National Park, or northeast to Canyonlands National Park.
• Head south to Monument Tribal Park and Navajo Nation.

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