NPS By far the most popular activity in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is boating. On a private vessel or a rental, over two million visitors enjoy the deep turquoise waters of Lake Powell every year. There are fees for your vessel in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. 
NPS / Brent&Dawn Davis Services and LocationsThere are four marinas on Lake Powell, two of them with ramps where you can launch a private vessel. For the latest launching conditions check the Changing Lake Levels. Services (like convenience stores and boat gas) and hours of operation vary at each marina. 
NPS RegulationsAll boaters must follow federal and state regulations and carry all required equipment on their vessels
Stay Safe!Stay aware of your surroundings when you are on the water. Check out the Safety page before you embark. Be sure to look at a weather forecast before your day on the water. Afternoon storms can rise out of calm mornings. Check the National Weather Service Marine webpage for 3-day forecasts and specific information on Lake Powell conditions. Mouse over Lake Powell on the map for an overview, then select either Arizona or Utah side for in-depth area forecasts. Boaters are required to carry a personal flotation device (also known as PFD) of proper size for every passenger in the boat. Children 12 years of age and younger must wear a Type I, II, or III US Coast Guard approved lifejacket when the boat is underway. It is recommended that children always wear a lifejacket when they are around water, even if they are not on a boat. People on personal watercraft must wear a life jacket regardless of their age, as must anybody being towed by a boat (skiing, tubing, etc). Lake levels fluctuate throughout the year. The lake may be many feet higher in the summer than it is in the winter, translating into a very different shoreline to contend with. Use a good map to navigate. There are many unmarked underwater hazards in Lake Powell. Boating at night is not recommended. Use the red and green navigational buoys to aid your travel. These buoys indicate deepest water. Numbers on main channel buoys are APPROXIMATE mileage from Glen Canyon Dam. Be aware of wakes and waves that bounce back and forth between canyon walls. Slow down when passing boats. Look at the size of the wake, not the size of the boat. Depending on hull design, even relatively smaller boats can produce serious wakes. Approach large wakes at a 45-degree angle. Bouncing on wakes might sound like fun, but compression injuries are very common on Lake Powell. Rainbow Bridge National Monument and Antelope, Labyrinth and Lost Eden Canyons are also wakeless zones. Bow riding (sitting on the top front part of the vessel) is illegal unless the vessel is designed for people to ride in the bow section (the bow section will have seats). Do not allow passengers to congregate around engines or the backs of vessels when engines or generators are running. In vessels that vent CO out the back, this deadly gas can collect under the swim step and spaces under the boat. The CO remains there long after engines and generators have been shut down. Don't play or swim under the swim step or under the vessel. Use carbon monoxide detectors. You can camp anywhere on the shorelines of Lake Powell except in developed marinas and within the boundaries of Rainbow Bridge National Monument. Learn more about primitive shoreline camping on the Camping page. Houseboaters must know how to properly anchor a houseboats—staking damages the shoreline, creates risks to others, and is considered vandalism. All campsites are required to have a portable toilet unless toilets are available on the vessel or within 200 yards of the campsite. Do your part to keep Lake Powell Pure.
|
Official websites use .gov
A
.gov website belongs to an official government
organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A
lock (
) or https:// means you've safely connected to
the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official,
secure websites.
