Driving more than 100 miles north from Flagstaff on Arizona Highway 89 you will cross the Colorado River on the Glen Canyon Dam Bridge at Page, and soon reach the south-central Utah border heading for Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon – but, do stop and enjoy the spectacular Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Powell.

From its very beginning, the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam aimed at meeting the hydroelectric needs of a diverse population of American communities, industry and private citizens.

Before the first blast occurred at the dam site on October 15, 1956, the area was virtually inaccessible, and construction crews were forced to drive 200 miles to cross from one side of the canyon to the other. The Bureau of Reclamation engineers and geologists worked for two years in selecting the site that would contain an immense amount of water, with canyon walls strong enough to support one of the world’s highest dams.

By 1959, trucks began crossing the Glen Canyon Bridge to deliver equipment and materials for the dam and to the new town of Page, Arizona. Placement of buckets of concrete continued day and night for three years. Each bucket held 24 tons of damp concrete, and it took over 400,000 of those buckets to fill the dam. According to historians there was enough concrete poured for the dam and power plant to build a four-lane highway from Phoenix to Chicago.

It took three years to install the turbines and the dam was dedicated by Ladybird Johnson on September 22, 1966. It took 17 additional years for the creation of one of the world’s largest man-made lakes – Lake Powell – to completely fill for the first time.

The Carl B. Hayden Visitor Center rotunda is located at one end of the Glen Canyon Bridge and visitors may tour the historic project free of charge. An elevator takes you 528 feet deep into the interior or the dam. At one point on the tour there is a digital counter registering the money collected from the sale of power throughout the region. The plant generates more than 1.3 million kilowatts of electricity with each of the 40-ton steel shafts turning at 150 rpm, generating nearly 200,000 horsepower. There are eight generators.

To fully enjoy all the recreational benefits provided by the formation of Lake Powell, touring the Hayden National Park Service Visitor Center will add an appreciation of the magnitude of this $272 million project. Glen Canyon Dam not only controls the upper Colorado River flow and generates electricity for countless households and businesses, but also has repaid the United States Treasury, with interest.

Our approach to Lake Powell was from Page, Arizona, on the east side of the canyon. We entered the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area through the South Wahweap fee station and had a full hook-up at the Wahweap Campground. Wahweap has 90 full hook-ups and 112 tent or non hook-ups. To check out additional camping or boating options go to www.nps.gov/glca.

According to the brochure from the new Lake Powell Resorts & Marina
“Lake Powell nourishes all your senses – from the feeling of pristine fine-grained, salmon-colored sand between your toes, to the sight of a night sky twinkling with infinite stars and planets. With nearly 2,000 miles of shoreline, over 90 major canyons to explore, and the world’s most famous natural stone bridge – Rainbow Bridge National Monument – Lake Powell is America’s Favorite Houseboating Destination. A memorable place to fish, hike, camp, paddle, sightsee, photograph, powerboat, waterski, and, of course, relax and reconnect with family, friends and Mother Nature herself.”

Houseboats and powerboats are a preferred way to enjoy Lake Powell with its many niches, and are advertised as easy to operate. A variety of scenic cruise adventures can take 1-1/2 hours on the Antelope Canyon or 7-1/2 hours on the Rainbow Bridge Cruise. Depending on the lake water level passengers may see the Bridge from the water or walk in 1-1/2 mile. Cruises depart from the Wahweap Marina. For information and reservations go to www.lakepowell.com.

We were at Lake Powell in the spring, on our way to Bryce Canyon. Rock formations and colors on the shores of Lake Powell were a striking prelude for the awesome experience of Utah’s other amazing canyons and landscapes.