Lake Powell

About this place

Lake Powell is a reservoir on the Colorado River in Utah and Arizona, lying mostly in southern Utah; its listed point is about 26 km from the town of Page, Arizona, in a straight line. It is one of the largest reservoirs in the United States and draws about two million visitors a year. It formed when Glen Canyon was flooded behind Glen Canyon Dam, which also led to the creation of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area in 1972. The lake is named after John Wesley Powell, who explored the river in 1869 with three wooden boats. Deep blue water winds between red and orange sandstone cliffs, branching into countless bays and narrow side canyons, with the towering rock mirrored in the calm surface. The curved concrete dam stands across the canyon near Page. People come for boating, houseboats, kayaking and swimming, with trips leaving from marinas near Page. Water levels change from year to year, and summers are very hot, so carry plenty of water and sun protection.