Does anything live in Lake Powell?

Plenty. The National Park Service counts 27 fish species, 315 bird species, 64 mammals and 27 reptiles in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Under the boat: striped bass, smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, channel catfish, crappie and bluegill, all introduced for sport. Four native fish are protected and go straight back in the water if you hook one: bonytail, Colorado pikeminnow, humpback chub and razorback sucker. On the cliffs: peregrine falcons, great blue herons along the shallows, and bald eagles in winter. Desert bighorn sheep live on the ledges and are seldom seen; mule deer, coyotes and beavers are more common. On the beaches: lizards and the occasional rattlesnake. No alligators, no crocodiles. The fishing guide has limits, licenses and where the stripers boil.

Facts checked October 2026.