Lake Powell Information

Copyright by Moyan Brenn

Visitation

Lake Powell sees highest visitation in the summer and lowest in the winter. Places to eat in Lake Powell often close during the slow season of winter, but Places to stay in Lake Powell often offer cheaper rates and discounts to attract tourist during the winter.

Location

Southwest Utah, on the edge of the Colorado Plateau; 2 1/2 hours from St. George, Utah
Address: P.O. Box 1507, Page, AZ 86040-1507
Telephone: Headquarters - 928-608-6200;
Bullfrog Visitor Center - 435-684-7400;
Carl Hayden Visitor Center - 928-608-6404;
Lees Ferry Ranger Station - 928-355-2234

Operating Hours

Carl Hayden Visitor Center, Page, AZ, daily, Memorial Day - Labor Day, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; rest of year, daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. Bullfrog Visitor Center, Bullfrog, UT, intermittently in March, daily April - October, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed November - February. Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center, near Lees Ferry, daily mid-April - October, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends only, early April and November, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Climate

Summers in Lake Powell are extremely hot, with little, if any, shade. Winters are moderately cold with night time lows often below freezing. Spring weather is highly variable with extended periods of winds. Fall weather is usually mild. Temperatures range from 110° F (38°C) in June & July to O° F (-16°C) in December & January. Precipitation is generally light (less than 6 inches--15.2cm-- annually) though heavy rains and flash flooding can occur in spring and summer. Recommend lightweight, light colored clothing for summer, including a hat. Layers of clothing are best for other times of the year.

Directions

Lees Ferry and the Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center is located on Arizona Highway 89A. Carl Hayden Visitor Center in Page, Az is on Highway 89. The Bullfrog Visitor Center is located on Utah Highway 276. Halls Crossing is also reached by Highway 276. Hite is located just off Utah Highway 95.

Fees, Costs, Rates

$3.00 Single Person EntryValid for 7 days.

$20.00 Single Vehicle EntryValid for 1 year.

$10.00 Vehicle Entrance (all passengers) Valid for 7 days.

$10.00 Boating (each motorized vessel)Valid for 7 days.

$4.00 Boating (each additional motorized vessel)Valid for 7 days.

$20.00 Boating Annual (first motorized vessel)Valid for 1 year.

Facilities and Opportunities

ACCESSIBILITY:

All visitor centers in Lake Powell are handicapped accessible.

GETTING AROUND:

The primary form of transportation within the park is by boat. Except for Lakeshore Drive in Wahweap, there is virtually no hard-surfaced road which offers access to or view of the lake outside the developed marinas. In-park shuttle services are available at Wahweap, Bullfrog, Halls Crossing, and Hite.

RANGER STATIONS:

The Halls Crossing Boater Contact station is designed as a self-serve visitor information center. It is open from approximately 8am - 10pm in the summer. Intermittently in the winter. Planned exhibits on boater information and safety, geology, history of Halls Crossing. No book or map sales. Restrooms adjacent to the contact station.

The Hite Ranger Station is open intermittently throughout the year. Located just off Highway 95 at Hite, Utah. Limited maps and books, restrooms are available.

Recomended Activities / Park Use

Archeological Sites

Scattered across the mesas and canyon country of the Southwest are remnants of the once-thriving Ancestral Puebloan culture (called "Anasazi" by the Navajo): dwellings and storage rooms, pictographs and petroglyphs, pot sherds, corn cobs, and baskets.

Fishing

Lake Powell has created a new realm for fishermen. Before Glen Canyon Dam was built, the Colorado River was so full of silt that only carp, catfish, suckers, and the Colorado River squawfish could survive in its murky waters. Now, abundant game fish thrive in the clear waters of Lake Powell. Introduced species such as bass and crappie as well as walleye, bluegill, and catfish challenge the avid fisherman.

Hike the Orange Cliffs

The Orange Cliffs portion of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, bordered by Canyonlands National Park, is one of the most scenic areas of the Colorado Plateau region.

Hike in Escalante

The Escalante Canyons include some of the most remote, wild and beautiful country in the Southwest.

Mountain Biking

The backcountry and primitive roads of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area are a great way to enjoy the scenery of the Colorado Plateau.

Visit Lee's Ferry

A natural corridor between Utah and Arizona, Lees Ferry figured prominently in the exploration and settlement of the surrounding canyon country. The Lees Ferry and Lonely Dell Ranch Historic Districts offer a glimpse into western pioneer life of the late 1800s.