Welcome back to National Parks and other public lands with T!
After spending the morning touring Lower Antelope Canyon, we needed a respite from the heat. We’d originally planned to go to Horseshoe Bend right after Antelope, but switched up the itinerary and drove to Lone Rock Beach on the Utah side of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. What a spectacular setting in which to cool off!
This beautiful soft sand beach on Lake Powell is maintained by the National Park Service and the view is dominated by the monolithic Lone Rock. It’s about 12 miles north of Page. We paid a $15 entrance fee. There is limited hard-surfaced road, with the majority of access to Lake Powell on sandy roads or beach. We were driving a rental sedan and were warned we could get stuck driving down to the beach so we parked in the lot (which has a restroom) and walked to the water. It’s a long walk, but we’re used to long walks in hot sand to get to the water back home at the Jersey shore.
Lake Powell is actually a man-made reservoir created by the Glen Canyon Dam. It was surprising to see all the motor boats and jet skis speeding around the lake, considering that people have to drink this water. Just sayin…
While Lake Mead (formed by the Hoover Dam) was larger than Lake Powell when they were both created, Lake Powell is now larger by volume due to a more intense drought/ falling water levels at the Nevada end of the Colorado River.
Location: Lone Rock Road, Big Water, UT 84741
Designation: National Recreation Area
Date designated/established: October 27, 1972
Date of my visit: August 17, 2014
Beautiful walk and beautiful view!! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for visiting 😊
An almost otherworldly vista… love the sands and the name of the lake, Powell is my mother’s maiden name.
Thanks 😊 Glad you enjoyed the post
We looked at Lake powell from the overview, rather than going down to the water. It is a strange anomaly in the desert and I hear its water volumes have also gone down recently. Given the recreation use within a drinking water reservoir, one can only hope the water treatment plants are efficient. Hope all is well T. Allan
Yes, that is odd, isn’t it? In Acadia, you aren’t allowed to dip a toe in Jordan Pond because it’s the reservoir for the island.
There is primitive camping there as well with handy access to nearby venues and the rock is nicely illuminated at sunset. Stewart
Must be a great place to camp. 😊⛺️
We have enjoyed camping on this beach – and even skinny dipping in the lake after dark!
Oh my!😊
Beautiful
Thanks 😊
On our month-long rafting trip down the Colorado in 2019, we took-out at a “lower water” ramp across from the former Hite Marina. Back in the 1980s – when I first visited Powell – Hite was on the water and an actual marina. Now it’s not even close to water. So, yes, Lake Powell is way, way lower now than it was back in the day.
That’s alarming. You could see the difference in the water levels over by the Dam when we visited 8 years ago.
An intriguing place. I’m with you re boats etc., being allowed on the water there.
🧡🧡🧡
The value of the reservoir for recreation is rated, by the powers that be, as high as drinking water…for better or worse. Water quality, in Tucson for example, is bad. That will change, hopefully. We protect drinking water sources here in New York State.
Yes,my dad always said nyc had the best water.