It’s difficult to imagine a more spectacular place to awaken than on a houseboat moored to the shore of Lake Powell in Utah. The morning light glides across the expanse of water, then inches up sandstone walls, illuminating rock that runs the color spectrum for desert sand through brilliant orange to black patina baked on through time. Before the Ski-Doos, ski boats and houseboats roar to life, the lake is a beautiful, peaceful place to sip coffee and start the day right.
Of course, those motorized crafts are the most-efficient way to explore
the countless miles of side canyons, tributaries and main channel that
make up Lake Powell, the centerpiece of the 1.2-million-acre Glen Canyon
National Recreation Area, located in Utah and Arizona. Boaters have so
many of nature’s nooks and crannies to explore that they can return year
after year without covering the same water. Anglers, after purchasing
the appropriate licenses, can test their skills against feisty striped
bass, largemouth bass, clack crappie, catfish, walleye, blue gill and
trout. Hikers can hoof it through dramatic canyons and encounter
petroglyphs and natural arches, as well as coming across hearty desert
plants such as prickly pear cacti. RVers can settle into full-service
parks at Wahweap, Bullfrog and Halls Crossing, allowing them to
experience different aspects of the lake.
For more information, call (928) 608-6404 or visit www.nps.gov/glca.
