21 Lake Powell Facts: A Place To Chill Out With Family In Summer!

Lake Powell is a human-made water storage facility and a major vacation spot that competes with Lake Mead which is declining in size.

Do you know more than two million people visit this wonderful spot each year, and it is only a couple of hours away from the Grand Canyon? Located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains between the Utah Arizona border, it is a very popular summer destination for a river trip for families.

Lake Powell is the reservoir for the Upper Basin states of the Colorado River like Wyoming, New Mexico, Southern Utah, and Northern Arizona. It is a part of America's national parks service located in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona.

Humans cannot compare with the ingenuity of nature but inventing Lake Powell was a great feat. It was created by damming water in the Glen Canyon. The name comes from the war veteran John Wesley Powell who used three wooden boats to explore this area in the 19th century.

The Microclimate Of Lake Powell And The Glen Canyon Dam 

Lake Powell is man-made and the water is so clean that it appears sublime, deep blue, and green in different areas. The parts of the lake where green algae called Cladophora grows look emerald green, contrasting with the azure blue of the lake where the sky reflects in the clean water. The algae support the different species of fish in the lake. 

Imagine, on a clear day in summer, where you can see the deep blue water from your kayak, looking at flora and fauna in the water and passing the rainbow bridge. Can anything beat this scenic beauty? You can get more information from the book- 'Glen Canyon Dammed' or the Salt Lake Tribune newspaper. 

The climate is hot in the winters, and summers are pleasantly warm. During the spring and fall seasons, you might not experience extreme temperatures, but they cannot be predicted.

Having just a little knowledge about the history of the place you are visiting always comes in handy. Lake Powell is a man-made marvel that took 10 years to fructify, and Glen Canyon Dam holds the water in place. It has earned a top spot on people's bucket lists due to its spectacular beauty. More than a million acres of desert sand provide the perfect contrast for the azure water and rocky canyons like the clifftop canyon.

It is the ideal summer destination for families to enjoy many water-based activities. You could use the boat rentals, swim, kayak, or fish alone or with family. You can choose to hire a houseboat and stay on the calm waters of the lake. As of 2021-2022, houseboat rates on Lake Powell for a five-day trip range from $1,400-$4,624 for various types of houseboats during the off-season. During shoulder season, prices rise negligibly to about $1,512-$4,994 for the same packages, but during peak season, prices inflate to about double the off-season rates from $2,121-$9,661. A refundable damage deposit of $600-$2,000 based on the houseboat you choose is charged four days prior to arrival and there is a standard houseboat fee of $99 on every booking.

Geology Of Lake Powell And The Colorado River 

Glen Canyon Dam is 700 ft (213 m) tall. The water depth varies in Lake Powell from about 430 ft (131 m) which is 60% of its capacity and may reach full pool capacity at 560 ft (171 m). Lake Powell can be as deep as 132 ft (40 m) on average and 583 ft (178 m) deep at its deepest.

The Glen Canyon itself results from thousands of years of erosion by rivers and water from the ancient inland sea in this region. These rivers and snowfall in the Colorado River system supply water to this water body, containing ancient inland seawater. The lake extends and merges with the main Colorado River and runs along Escalante and San Juan Rivers. Soil moisture and seasonal snow runoff also add to the water level. You can reach Lake Powell from Salt Lake City by road. Lake Powell is about a six-hour drive from Flagstaff at about 204 mi (328 km) via US-89 N.

The lake has many very steep sandstone walls, and some parts of the lake are accessible only using the marina and boats. These are the ideal spots for water-based activities, and many campgrounds are operating in these marinas though you can bring your own camping supplies.

The camping sites have dry boat storage for trailers and boats across Lake Powell. The water body is not a single entity and has many segments separated by more than 90 canyons, unlike Lake Mead. These canyons provide many exclusive areas for campers and provide a spectacular background.

There are abundant beaches and isolated marinas for families to enjoy time together and then come to the larger communal areas to have more fun organized activities. You can rappel, hike, or climb in the canyons as well as all of the water activities. In addition, mountain biking and backpack hiking are interesting for adventurous tourists. The lake has many places where you can enjoy water skiing too and enjoy the changes in watercolor as you meander through the canyons.

Landmarks Around Lake Powell And Glen Canyon 

The lake's main body stretches along a shoreline extending to almost 2,000 mi (3,219 km). The lake extends to 118 mi (190 km) and changes according to the volume of water in it and is larger than other lakes like Lake Rose. The desert, canyons, and the lake attract millions of families during the year, especially in summer.  

The US Bureau of Reclamation cleverly designed the Glen Canyon Dam in Colorado to use the water from the river. The reservoir is located in Utah and Arizona before finally ending into the Colorado River basin. Escalante River, San Juan River, and Colorado River dams provide access to some hidden gems of nature. 

Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell are home to the largest and the only natural bridge in the world- the Rainbow Bridge, providing that perfect backdrop for pictures in Utah. Hite Crossing Bridge is the only bridge that informally marks the upstream and the backwaters. 

Defiance House ruin provides a glimpse into the old cultural ruins of Anasazi tribes that lived here years ago. 

Some of the other attractions in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona areas are:

Castle Rock at Lake Powell is known to be made of sandstone.

San Juan goosenecks is a national park located around the snaking San Juan River. 

Gregory Butte, Gunsight Butte, and Kaiparowits Plateau are elevated structures near the lake providing amazing scenic views. 

Padre Bay is a bay within Lake Powell providing a wonderful adventure.

Numerous steep sandstone walls block access to Lake Powell, and people love this canyon country and the fact that they can reach the lake using marinas. Some of these are well-developed and have all the facilities for camping or holidays like the Antelope Point, Hite, lees ferry, Bullfrog, Page and Wahweap, Halls Crossing marinas, and smaller ones too. You can access Dangling Rope Marina, Rainbow Bridge, and Escalante Subdistrict only using a boat as these marinas are surrounded by Lake Powell. The movie 'John Carter' was shot near the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell due to its scenic beauty. 

Fish Species In Lake Powell

Lake Powell is enriched by a good climate and abundant algae that feed many freshwater aquatic animals. A huge striped bass can be the dream of any fisherman. A woman caught a record-breaking striped bass measuring more than 44 in (1.1 m) from this beautiful lake. Utah has a record of the largest fish caught and released back into the water- here in Lake Powell. 

Channel fish found in these waters are known to grow up to 2 ft (0.6 m). Catfish can be seen any time of the year. Small bass or bluegills, bass- largemouth and smallmouth, or striped varieties, carp, and walleye are some of the freshwater fish found in Lake Powell. You can hire a boat and use fishing gear in the calm blue water of Lake Powell.

Lake Powell provides something for everyone in the family, and you will create memories for years to come when you visit this place. You will love every moment spent around Lake Powell, camping, hiking, or fishing.