Wahweap and Lake Powell

Wahweap is the Lake Powell district closest to Page, at the south end of the reservoir inside Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. When full, Lake Powell is 186 miles long with 1,960 miles of shoreline. The Bureau of Reclamation calls it the second-largest reservoir in the United States, after Lake Mead. It is named after John Wesley Powell, who led the first expedition down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon in 1869. The water reaches into more than 90 side canyons.

The lake you see today is much lower than the brochures suggest. The Park Service says levels have been falling since 2001 because of climate change and 20 years of drought. Each year the lake rises with spring runoff from May to July, then falls for the rest of the year, leaving a pale ring on the cliffs. On November 5, 2026, it stood at 3,537.11 feet, well below the 3,700 feet it reached when it first filled in 1980.

Low water affects what you can do here. At that level, the Park Service listed the Wahweap Main Launch Ramp as closed to motorized boats and open to paddlecraft only. The Stateline Auxiliary Launch Ramp remained open to motorized vessels. Castle Rock Cut, a shortcut channel, was closed. On the lake, hazards that used to be underwater can appear, and channels narrow. Boaters should check ramp status before towing a boat to the lake. For boats on Lake Powell there is a separate tiered vessel pass.

You don't need a boat to enjoy the lake. The park's concessioner runs several boat tours from Wahweap Marina, and the Park Service lists more tours and charters from Antelope Point Marina. Rainbow Bridge National Monument, which Glen Canyon also manages, is reached by water. At current levels its docks have been moved to deeper water, and small boats can beach to reach the trail. The Navajo Nation regards Rainbow Bridge as a sacred place and asks visitors to respect it. Swimmers and paddlers should read the Park Service's recreational water advisory for Lake Powell.

Glen Canyon's entrance fee applies at Wahweap. It is $30 per private vehicle for seven days, $25 for a motorcycle, or $15 per person on foot or bicycle. The park does not accept cash, and the Wahweap entrance stations take cards only.