Glen Canyon and Lake Powell
Visitor Information
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is open all year. Operating hours vary by season, check with the National Park Service for current hours. All visitors are required to pay an entrance fee, and a separate boating pass is required for vessel launch. Pets on leash are permitted in most areas of Glen Canyon.
For more information, there are multiple visitor centers that serve the Glen Canyon area. Find the visitor center closest to you:
- Carl Hayden Visitor Center, is the main visitor center for Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Rainbow Bridge National Monument. It's located across the Utah border in Arizona, near the Glen Canyon Dam.
- Bullfrog Visitor Center, open seasonally, is located north of Bullfrog Marina in Lake Powell, Utah.
- Big Water Visitor Center, open seasonally Wednesday through Saturday, is located on Highway 89 in Big Water, Utah.
- Escalante Interagency Visitor Center, run jointly by Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Dixie National Forest. Located in Escalante, Utah. Offers permits for hikes into Glen Canyon Wilderness.
- Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center, located on U.S. 89A by the Navajo Bridge.
Climate and Weather
In the summer (June-August), the Glen Canyon area is extremely hot (sometimes exceeding 110 F degrees) and the area offers little, if any, shade in the form of trees. Springtime (March-May) is difficult to predict and can also bring long periods of high winds. Fall weather (September-November) is typically nice and mild — a great season to avoid the heat and the crowds. Winter (December-March) can be chilly, and the temperature sometimes dip below freezing at night. (Read: How to Pack for Winter in Southern Utah)
Blazing Sandals in North Lake Powell
It’s not unreasonable or out of the ordinary to go UTVing, paddleboarding and canyoneering all in the same day (or weekend) at Lake Powell.
Base Camps
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Kanab
Kanab, Utah is classic American West, surrounded by towering Navajo sandstone cliffs and vistas of sagebrush. Kanab's self-proclaimed title, "Little Hollywood," is fitting for its many abandoned film sets.
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Ticaboo
Visitors looking to get away from crowded national parks to enjoy the beauty of Southern Utah will find an escape in Ticaboo. Boating, fishing, biking, canyoneering, and off-road riding are all popular.
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Bullfrog Marina
Of the five marinas on Lake Powell, Bullfrog Marina is the closest to the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, and it offers the most amenities outside of Wahweap.
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Big Water
Bordered by Lake Powell, Big Water, Utah, is a small community with a few lodging options including RV resorts, camping and glamping and a luxury hotel, but limited other services. The Big Water Visitor Center, which typically opens in the summer months, features a remarkable paleontology exhibit.
What's Nearby
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Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Considered sacred in Navajo culture, Rainbow Bridge is a symbol of deities responsible for creating rain, the essence of life in the desert.
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Grand Staircase-Escalante
The allure of the Grand Staircase region — the bulk of which is contained in the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument — is phenomenal. Sun-drenched Utah backcountry spreads out well beyond the visible horizon from the road, whether you’re traveling along the The All-American Road: Scenic Byway 12, or on Highway 89.
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Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park features towering sandstone rock formations, sculpted over 300 million years, that soar 400 to 1,000 feet above the valley floor.
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Read the Stories
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Angling Secrets: How and Where to Catch Fish on Lake Powell
Read expect advice on when and where in Lake Powell to get the prized fish you're chasing.
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Insider's Guide to Hiking Rainbow Bridge National Monument
From choosing the best season and trail, to understanding logistics and history, here's what you need to know to hike Utah's Rainbow Bridge National Monument located off the south coast of Lake Powell.
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Kayak and Stand Up Paddleboard Lake Powell
Slip into the mighty Lake Powell with a personal, self-propelled watercraft and have a whole different experience than the boats flying down the lake.
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Lake Powell Trash Boat
Attention good samaritans: Sign up for the Trash Tracker, a houseboat on Lake Powell, and help clean up the debris that has collected on the lake’s shores.
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Scenic Boat Tours of Lake Powell
Lake Powell boat tours are one of the best ways to explore the breathtaking sights of this man-made wonder. Learn all you need to know to book your own tour!
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Southwestern Utah's Legendary Panoramas
Wondering where to take pictures in Utah? Our guide to the most breathtaking Utah panoramas is only a click away. Plan a photographic getaway today!
