| Related content: |
 |
|
 |
Glen Canyon Dam National Recreation Area
When plans for Lake Powell were conceived more than 45 years ago, government officials believed that other than a few avid fishermen, recreationalists would seldom use the huge reservoir that would back up behind Glen Canyon Dam.
Lake Powell is popular for boating, sightseeing and houseboating.
Ravell Call, Deseret News |
After all, the area has little shade, is basically miles and miles of rocks and hundreds of miles from populated areas. No one thought filling up the deep rock canyons with water would turn the desolate country into a tourist wonderland.
But as Glen Canyon Dam began backing up the waters of the Colorado River in 1963 to slowly form Lake Powell, tourists and boaters soon began discovering the water's beauty and solitude. The lake's popularity increased each year as word got out about the contrasting beauty of the blue waters against red sandstone cliffs and of the solitude in the lake's many remote fingers. Each year, more and more people travel hundreds of miles on remote roads to experience Lake Powell.
Today, Lake Powell is considered one of the man-made wonders of the modern world. Year after year Lake Powell, also known as Glen Canyon Dam National Recreation Area, is Utah's top tourist spot, attracting about 3 million visitors each year. Most of those visitors are from outside Utah, and many are from outside the United States.
The Glen Canyon Dam was authorized by Congress in 1957 as a way to store water for the Southwestern states. The dam is located just inside Arizona, but 95 percent of the lake is in Utah. The huge, 135-mile-long man-made lake took about 17 years to fill, is 500 feet deep in some places and has almost 2,000 miles of shoreline — more than the west coast of the United States.
The dam, dedicated in 1966, and the lake behind it forever altered the canyon. The creation of the lake has always been controversial since it inundated one of the nation's wildest desert canyons, drowning countless American Indian ruins, rock formations and petroglyphs. Some, however, say the lake has only increased accessibility to the Glen Canyon area. Before the lake, many of the area's natural wonders could only be experienced by days of hiking or on horseback.
Fishing and water sports are the lake's main attractions. Many travel to Lake Powell, however, simply to relax and tour the lake via boat. The lake's thousands of shoot-off canyons have many great beaches, diving rocks and provide access to good hiking. There are ruins and Indian writings in many of the lake's cuts, canyons and cliffs.
Lake Powell has several must-sees. Rainbow Bridge, the world's largest natural bridge, is among them. Hole-in-the-Rock, a notch in a cliff, is where pioneers made the passage 120 years ago to cross the Colorado River. The pioneers, their wagons and 1,500 head of livestock made it to the river's edge without a fatality. Other must-see sites are Cathedral in the Desert, Reflection Canyon, the Defiance House Anasazi ruins in Forgotten Canyon and Iceberg Canyon. Up the Escalante River Canyon are the restored Three Roof Ruins and the LaGorch arch.
Glen Canyon Dam, with Lake Powell in the backdrop.
Ravell Call, Deseret News |
Many Lake Powell tourists group together (because of the high cost) and spend their visit in a rented houseboat, a cross between camping and staying in a motel — sort of like camping with electricity and indoor plumbing. A houseboat gives visitors access to the whole lake. But because of the cost of gasoline, many houseboaters also rent a small power boat to get to the marina and back, or just to explore the lake. Jet skis and other water toys also are for rent. You'll often see a smaller power boat and perhaps a few personal watercraft trailing behind a houseboat on the lake. A power boat makes water skiing and extended touring possible, and other recreational crafts such as Jet Skis and Tigersharks add to the fun.
Many prefer the lake in the off-season winter months. During the summer more than 400,000 tourists a month visit the lake, but the crowds decrease to about 50,000 per month in the winter. In the winter the lake's quieter, smoother and in some ways prettier. The arch of the sun casts a softer light on the water and cliffs, and some say the rugged country looks somewhat tamer.
Winter is also a better time for touring because the lake's busy channels are almost deserted and most of the beaches are open and empty. Daytime temperatures are also more comfortable for hiking and exploring. According to weather records, average highs in November are 59, 45 in December and January, and back up to 53 and 61 in February and March, respectively. Lows are 36 in November, 25 in December and January, and 31 and 36 in February and March, respectively. And the fact that lodges and houseboats are heated makes evenings comfortable.
Winter is also a time when boats and rooms are available and at substantial savings. Houseboats and rooms can be difficult to rent in the summer when demand is high. But during the winter both are readily available.
More information about the Glen Canyon recreation area is available by visiting www.nps.gov/glca/
|
|
|
