Lake Powell boating blog
Practical, boater-tested writing on marinas, boat ramps, canyons & trip planning — from the team behind the Lake Powell Navigator app.
Are dogs allowed at Lake Powell? The rules, by location
Dogs are welcome across most of Lake Powell on a 6-foot leash, but banned from Rainbow Bridge, the Antelope Canyon slot tours and marina docks. Full list inside.
Alstrom Point, Lake Powell: the drive and what it takes
Alstrom Point is 23 miles of dirt road out of Big Water, Utah, to a rim high above Padre Bay. The mileage log, the vehicle you need, and when to turn back.
Best Lake Powell sunset spots by boat — and the run back
Where to watch sunset on Lake Powell by boat, sunset times by month, and the rules and hazards that govern the run home to the marina in the dark.
Glen Canyon Dam tours and tickets: what’s open in 2026
Tours inside Glen Canyon Dam are closed. The Carl Hayden Visitor Center is free and open 9 to 5 in season, and a 90-minute dam cruise from Wahweap is $99.
Lake Powell wakeboard, ski and surf boat rentals: 2026 rates
No marina at Lake Powell rents a ballasted surf boat. Wahweap tops out at $479 to $599 a day for a sport-tower outboard; a HeyDay from a Page outfitter is $999.
Lake Powell houseboat timeshare: what a share costs to own
What a Lake Powell houseboat share costs to buy and to hold in 2026: published share prices, annual dues, per-trip turnaround fees and the marina cut on resale.
Lake Powell RV parks: hookups, rig limits and dump stations
Six Lake Powell RV parks compared: full-hookup counts, rig-length caps, published 2026 nightly rates, and the 2-vehicle rule that catches anyone towing a boat.
The Toilet Bowl at Lake Powell: what collapsed and what is left
The Toilet Bowl arch in Rock Creek Bay collapsed on August 8, 2024, with 20 to 30 people swimming inside it. The Park Service reported no injuries.
Lake Powell pontoon rentals: 2026 rates by marina
A 23-foot pontoon runs $479 to $599 a day at Wahweap in 2026. Antelope Point rents 7 sizes from $725, and it is the only marina renting by the hour.
Lake Powell houseboats for sale: prices, slips and the rules
What a Lake Powell houseboat costs in 2026, why the Park Service makes the marina broker every sale, and the single ramp that can still launch one.
When was Lake Powell created? Glen Canyon Dam history
Lake Powell began filling on March 13, 1963, when crews closed the last Glen Canyon Dam diversion tunnel. It took 17 years. The dates, and what went under.
Lake Powell vs Lake Mead: which lake should you boat?
Lake Powell vs Lake Mead for a 2026 boating trip — canyons, drive times, open ramps, park fees and mussel rules, compared with current Park Service numbers.
How to get to Lake Powell: closest airports and drive times
The closest airports to Lake Powell, drive times from Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City, and why the ferry won’t shortcut your 2026 trip.
Bringing your own boat to Lake Powell: fees, ramps and exit rules
What a private boat needs at Lake Powell in 2026 — the Glen Canyon vessel pass, state registration, the 2 open ramps, and the mussel inspection on your way out.
Labyrinth Canyon, Lake Powell: how to boat in and hike the slot
Labyrinth Canyon opens off Padre Bay near buoy 18, about 12 lake miles from Antelope Point. Where the boat stops, where you paddle, and how far you walk.
Lake Powell jet ski and WaveRunner rentals: cost and where to ride
Jet ski and WaveRunner rentals at Lake Powell run $245 to $375 a day off-site, and Wahweap rents its own first-come, first-served. Rates, rules and range.
Navajo Canyon, Lake Powell: how far up you can take a boat
Navajo Canyon opens at buoy 10, about 5 lake miles above Antelope Point, and winds back 15.5 miles. Where a big boat has to stop, and why the hike is closed.
Lake Powell fishing: licenses, limits and where to launch in 2026
One fishing license covers both states on Lake Powell. What you can keep, which two ramps still take a boat in 2026, and when the striper boils fire.
West Canyon, Lake Powell: how to boat in and hike the narrows
West Canyon sits at buoy 25, 25 lake miles above Glen Canyon Dam. How far a boat gets in, where you beach it, and how far up the narrows you should go.
Lake Powell cell service: where you get bars, and where you don’t
Verizon carries most of Lake Powell from one tower on Navajo Mountain. Where the bars stop, what still works without them, and how to call for help.
Reflection Canyon by boat: reaching the overlook from the water
Reflection Canyon sits at buoy 57 on Lake Powell’s main channel. How boaters reach the famous overlook from the water instead of the 16-mile desert hike.
Antelope Canyon by boat at Lake Powell: tours and kayak trips
Wahweap’s Antelope Canyon boat tour is suspended and Antelope Point’s ramps are shut to motorboats. Every way onto the water in the canyon in 2026, with prices.
Lake Powell hikes: 10 trails, and which ones need a boat
Ten hikes in Glen Canyon sorted by whether you drive to the trailhead or beach a boat at it, with distances, NPS difficulty ratings and 2026 access notes.
Lake Powell paddle boarding: 9 spots and how early to launch
Nine wind-protected places to paddleboard on Lake Powell, what boards rent for in Page, and the Park Service rule that lets you launch off any shoreline.
Where to swim at Lake Powell: 5 drive-up spots and the rules
Five Lake Powell swim spots you can drive to — Wahweap, Lone Rock, The Chains, Hobie Cat, Stanton Creek — plus where swimming is banned and the safety rules.
Cliff jumping at Lake Powell: is it legal, and what to do instead
The Park Service prohibits jumping off cliffs 15 feet or higher — and the rule excludes vessels. The compendium text, the fatality record, and where to swim.
Lake Powell kayaking: 12 places to paddle and how far they are
The Park Service names the spots worth paddling — Moqui, Lost Eden, Labyrinth, Warm Creek Bay. Where each launches from, how far it is, what a shuttle costs.
Lake Powell slot canyons you can reach by boat
Lake Powell’s slot canyons are the drowned ones — Labyrinth, Antelope, West, Face. Where each sits, which need a kayak, and the Park Service’s wakeless list.
The 9 best Lake Powell camping spots (boat-in and drive-up)
Nine Lake Powell camping spots south to north, with 2026 nightly fees, which ones take reservations, and the sanitation rule every shoreline camper has to meet.
Lake Powell boat tours: which one is worth the money
Rainbow Bridge and the Wahweap Antelope Canyon tour are suspended in 2026. Here’s what still runs on Lake Powell, what it costs, and which tour to book.
How to get to Rainbow Bridge by boat on Lake Powell
Rainbow Bridge sits ~50 miles up Lake Powell — a full-day, 100-mile round trip with no fuel midway. Distances, the low-water hike, and the rules to know.
Lake Powell houseboat rentals: 2026 prices and first-timer basics
Real 2026 Lake Powell houseboat prices by boat and season, what’s included, first-timer rules, and how fuel planning works now that Dangling Rope is gone.
11 best things to do at Lake Powell (most by boat)
The 11 best things to do at Lake Powell, on the water and off — kayak into Antelope Canyon, rent a houseboat, fish stripers, camp a beach, and more.
The 9 best beaches on Lake Powell (by boat or by car)
The 9 best beaches on Lake Powell, south to north — Lone Rock to Good Hope Bay — with camping rules, fees, and how boaters claim a good stretch of sand.
Lake Powell canyons: the side canyons worth boating to
Lake Powell has roughly 96 major side canyons, from Rainbow Bridge to slots you swim through. Which ones to run, from which marina, and how to boat in.
Does your GPS work on Lake Powell without cell service?
Your phone’s GPS works on Lake Powell with no cell bars. The fix is offline maps and a few settings tweaks so canyon walls don’t scramble your dot.
Lake Powell boat rentals: how to pick, book, and budget
A first-timer’s guide to Lake Powell boat rentals — houseboat vs. day boat, real budget math, when to book, and the fine print that trips people up.