Day Four – Today, we’re going swimming! In a place so dry and barren, it’s hard to find a good swimming hole. And Lake Powell is the granddaddy of Southwest swimming holes. Deep, crystal clear, coo blue water surrounded by Redrock rocket ships. Let’s get wet and have some fun!
How to Get There
Drive Highway 89 toward Page and then stop on the far side in the
parking lot. (1 mile)
* It is 40 miles from Marble Canyon to Page.
Best Things To Do
Navajo Bridges – The up-stream bridge is just for pedestrians. Check out the views of the river. You might even see a river trip passing under the bridge in the morning. And look for the gigantic black condors resting on the rims. Navajos sell jewelry and other Native American trinkets from makeshift stands in the parking lots. A lot of the souvenirs looks nice, but are often pretty cheap, so be careful what you buy. For those wondering if the Indians are dangerous, the answer is an emphatic NO! But they aren’t, as a general rule, very friendly. But they are not threatening in any way.
How To Get There
You are now on the Navajo Indian Reservation. Be respectful. Do not take pictures of the Navajo without first asking their permission! Continue toward Page on Highway 89A. Turn left on Highway 89 toward Page near the Navajo village of Bitter Springs. Many of the houses at Bitter Springs consist of public housing units built to house the Navajo families that were relocated off of the Hopi Reservation as part of a landmark legal decision in the 1980s. It is 45 miles from Marble Canyon to Page.
Stop at the outstanding Overlook on the left just before the highway cuts through the Navajo Sandstone mountain – Breathtaking views of the red sandstone world of the Navajo, the Vermilion Cliffs, and Marble Canyon. You can see the Kaibab Mountain from whence you came far off to the northwest. The North Rim is on the left end of that long, flat mountain in the distance.
Page, Arizona
Page was founded in 1957 as a housing community for workers and their families during the construction of nearby Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River. Its 17-square-mile site was obtained in a land exchange with the Navajo Nation. The city of 7,000 sits atop Manson Mesa at an elevation of 4,300 feet above sea level and 600 feet above Lake Powell. Page is also the home of two of the largest electrical generation units in the western United States: The Glen Canyon Hydroelectric Generating Station, and the coal-fired Navajo Generating Station. http://www.cityofpage.org/
Lake Powell
Don’t forget The lake has become the “gatway to the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area”, attracting more than three million visitors a year. It is the second largest reservoir in the United States, stretching 186 miles upstream to the mouth of Cataract Canyon, in Utah, and covering 252 square miles with a shoreline of over 2,000 miles. although the dame lies in northern Arizona, the majority of the lake is actually in southern Utah.
Save Money!
- Annual Pass – Don’t forget to use the Annual Pass you purchased at Zion. This will get you into the park for free. This is your fourth National Park. Your pass has now paid for itself and put another $20 in your pocket!
- There is a small regional airport in Page where you can make connections to Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix.
Best Lodging
Lake Powell Resort ($160)
Insider Tip!
There are numerous hotels in Page that can be found on travel websites, but you can’t beat staying right on the lake. And the Lake Powell Resort is the only place on the lake.
Camping
Wahweap RV and Campground – Centrally located at Wahweap Marina about ¼ mile from the shore of Lake Powell. Wahweap offers plenty of fun with a wide variety of powerboats and water toys from which to choose. You can also enjoy the restaurant, lounge, Wahweap Grille, Canyon Coffee and gift shop at the Lake Powell Resort. This RV Park/Campground is also a great place to enjoy the winter solitude of Lake Powell.
Full Hook-Up Sites (139)
Tent or Self-contained RV Sites (112) Lake Powell Camping
Best Places To Eat
Marble Canyon Lodge (Breakfast)
Slackers along Lake Powell Boulevard near the Safeway in Page
(Best burgers in town!)
Rainbow Room @ the Lake Powell Resort
Best Things To Do
Glen Canyon Dam and Bridge – Spectacular views of the river from the bridge. Daily free tours of the dam. And a great gift shop in the Carl Hayden Visitor Center.
Insider Tips!
- The entire Southwest has been experiencing severe drought conditions for the last decade and the level of the lake is way down. The white line you see on the rocks is referred to as the “bathtub ring” and shows the level where the water used to be back in the early 80s.
- The sun at Lake Powell is lethal. The best time to enjoy it is early in the morning and in the late afternoon. Wear Sunscreen and a hat At All Times!
Best Things To Do
Sunset Cruise (purchase tickets in the lobby of the Lake Powell
Resort ($58)
“This is a one-of-a-kind, destination tour that transplants you right into the dramatic backdrop and authentic majesty of our most beloved lake – Lake Powell. Take in the epic scenery and rich atmosphere of Gunsight Bay, where the pictures could practically take themselves. You won’t want to forget your camera because this tour is the best way to experience Lake Powell in its truest and most profound form.”
– Lake Powell Resort Brochure
Bad Weather Option
Rainbow Bridge Boat Trip (purchase tickets in the lobby of the Lake Powell resort ($125)
“Let us take you on a truly one of a kind excursion. Enjoy cruising 50 miles of unique Lake Powell shoreline to Rainbow Bridge National Monument, one of the largest known natural bridges in the world.
The land comprising Rainbow Bridge National Monument was traditionally used by Navajo, Southern Paiute, San Juan, Ute, Kaibab Paiute, White Mesa Ute and Hopi Peoples. Prior to these tribes, Ancestral Puebloans and earlier indigenous people lived in and used the area.
The bridge extends 290′ into the sky and 275′ across Bridge Canyon. Witness firsthand the power of wind and water in their role that sculpted this remarkable landscape.
Highlights:
- This tour takes approximately 5.5-6 hours in total.
- On your way, you will pass through Warm Creek, picturesque Padre Bay, the largest bay on Lake Powell, and Dangling Rope, a mid-lake marina only accessible via water.
- 1.5 hour walking to and exploring Rainbow Bridge.
- 2 hours back to Wahweap Marina.
We recommend you bring your own lunch or snacks as we do not offer any food on the any of our tours. Complimentary coffee, water, and lemonade are provided.
Due to the current projected lake levels, for optimum viewing a walk/hike is required both to and from Rainbow Bridge (total walking distance = 1.25 miles).”
– Lake Powell Brochure
Best Hikes
Antelope Canyon – This is one of the iconic locations in the Southwest, and a trip into Antelope Canyon is a bucket list must see. Upper Anteolpe Canyon is known as Tse’bighanilini, or “the place where water runs through rocks”. Lower Antelope Canyon is Hasdestwazi, or “spiral rock arches”. The upper section is an easy walk, but the lower section is more difficult. The canyon is located on the Navajo Reservation and requires a Navajo guide. Jeep tours can be arranged at multiple locations along the main drag in Page.
Lake Powell Hikes – There is a fairly flat, natural surface and sometimes paved trail that goes from Lake Powell Resort to the campground and then all the way to The Coves.
Swimming
Lone Rock Beach – To get to Lone Rock Beach, follow SH 89 toward Kanab for a few miles and turn right at Lone Rock Beach where you can drive your vehicle right to the water’s edge and then swim and camp. Don’t drive in deep sand, you can easily get stuck.
The Coves – Follow Lake Shore Drive past the campground and the State Line Boat Launch, cross into Utah and continue on Lake Shore Drive for less than a mile and the Coves are on the right. The low water levels have made this area difficult to get to, but the Park Service is busily working to re-open the facility. This is an amazing place to cliff dive. BE CAREFUL!
There is a nice little hidden beach right below the Lake Powell
Resort to the left of the long, wide Wahweap Marina boat launch,
or to the right of where the boat cruises depart.
The Lake Powell Resort offers several very nice outdoor pools with
spectacular views of sacred Navajo Mountain.
