Lake Powell

Lake Powell, United States

The sun rises over the red sandstone canyons and blue waters of Lake Powell.

Lake Powell is a long reservoir of blue water between red sandstone walls, where the Colorado River backs up behind Glen Canyon Dam.

The place

Lake Powell sits on the Colorado River where it runs through the high desert of southern Utah, with a smaller arm reaching into northern Arizona. It is a reservoir rather than a natural lake. Water backed up behind Glen Canyon Dam and filled the canyons the river had cut through the sandstone of the Colorado Plateau. Roughly two million people visit each year, most of them in summer, when the water is warmest and the marinas are busiest. When full, the reservoir holds about 24.3 million acre-feet, making it the second largest in the United States by volume after its downstream neighbour, Lake Mead, although the two have swapped places several times this century. The shoreline is long and deeply branched, with side canyons running off into the rock, so a single day on the water can feel like crossing several lakes. Much of the surrounding land belongs to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, managed by the National Park Service. The town of Page, Arizona, grew up alongside the dam and is the main base for visitors. The lake also stores water for the Upper Basin states under the Colorado River Compact, so its level rises and falls with snowmelt and drought. A pale band on the cliffs shows how far the water has dropped. Expect heat, glare and wind, with calmer water in the morning and choppier conditions by mid-afternoon.

Its story

The reservoir began as part of a plan for a chain of dams on the Colorado River, drawn up in the 1940s and early 1950s by the United States Bureau of Reclamation. Its first choice, a site at Echo Park, was dropped after a campaign led by David Brower of the Sierra Club argued that the canyon was too scenic to submerge. The Bureau then turned to Glen Canyon. The dam was built mainly to meet the delivery obligations that the Upper Basin states owed to the Lower Basin under the Colorado River Compact. Lake Powell, in this sense, works as a water bank that holds supply back for downstream users. Construction began with a demolition blast set off by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who pressed a button at his desk in Washington to clear the diversion tunnels. Once the tunnels were open, the river was channelled through them and concrete placement began around the clock. A bridge was finished early in the work, allowing trucks to carry equipment to the dam site and to the new town of Page. As the gates closed, the canyons upstream began to fill, flooding side valleys and river bends that had been visited only by a few boatmen and geologists. The lake takes its name from John Wesley Powell, a Civil War veteran who ran the Colorado River through the canyons in 1869 using three wooden boats.

What to see

Culture

Utah ranks among the more religiously observant US states, and the majority of its people are Christians, with many belonging to the Mormon Church. The church is traditional and conservative in its outlook, and its members usually dress modestly and avoid alcohol, coffee and tea. Visitors will notice this in small towns and in the way many local businesses present themselves, though the tourist economy around the lake is very relaxed. Utah has a complicated history with polygamy. The practice was open but controversial in the mid nineteenth century, and the church officially condemned it in 1890. Today the church excommunicates members who practise it and keeps its distance from self-proclaimed followers who do. Most visitors will never raise the subject, and it is better not to bring it up unprompted. Around the lake, the ground is fragile and much of it is protected land, so stay on marked trails, do not climb on the rock art or old dwellings, and take all rubbish and food scraps with you when you leave the shore.

What to wear

The land around Lake Powell has long been home to Indigenous peoples, and the textiles most often associated with the wider Southwest are woven blankets and rugs and silver jewellery, traditionally made from wool and metal by Navajo (Diné) makers. Buy these directly from named artists or licensed traders, and ask about the maker and materials. Most people around the lake now wear practical outdoor clothing: t-shirts, quick-drying trousers or shorts, and hats, with fleeces for cool mornings on the water. Utah's towns are relaxed about dress, although the Mormon emphasis on modesty means very revealing outfits can stand out in smaller communities. For visitors, the priority is climate and terrain. Pack light long sleeves for sun protection, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses with strong UV protection, and closed-toe shoes with good grip for slickrock and sandy paths. Sandals work on boats, but sturdy shoes are safer for hikes and viewpoints.

What to eat

Plan it

Best time. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable months, with warm days and cooler nights and far less heat on the water. Summer is the busiest season and very hot, with midday temperatures that can make being on open water or hiking exposed ground hard going. Winter is quiet and cold, and some services close.

How long. 2–3

Getting there. Fly into Salt Lake City International Airport, the main regional hub, then drive south for several hours. Page, Arizona, is the most convenient base. Amtrak's California Zephyr stops at Green River, Helper, Provo and Salt Lake City, but these are all a long way from the lake, so a hire car is usually needed for the final leg.

Budget. mid

Tips

Etiquette

Nearby

Sources