Glen Canyon
National Recreation Area

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA) offers unparalleled opportunities for water-based and backcountry recreation. The recreation area stretches hundreds of miles from Lees Ferry in Arizona to the Orange Cliffs of southern Utah, encompassing scenic vistas, geologic wonders, and a panorama of human history. Additionally, the controversy surrounding the construction of Glen Canyon Dam and the creation of Lake Powell contributed to the birth of the modern day environmental movement.

VISITATION:

Highest May through September; lowest in January.

LOCATION:

Coconino Co., AZ; Kane Co., Garfield Co., Wayne Co., and San Juan Co., UT. Park Headquarters is located in Page, AZ.

ADDRESS:

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
P. O. Box 1507
Page, Arizona 86040

TELEPHONE:

General Information: (520) 608-6404
Headquarters: (520) 608-6200
24 Hour Emergency (800) 582-4351

OPERATING HOURS, SEASONS:

Carl Hayden Visitor Center, Page, AZ, daily, Memorial Day - Labor Day, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; rest of year, daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.
Bullfrog Visitor Center, Bullfrog, UT, intermittently in March, daily April - October, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed November - February.
Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center, near Lees Ferry, daily mid-April - October, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; weekends only, early April & November, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

CLIMATE, RECOMMENDED CLOTHING:

Summers are extremely hot, with little, if any, shade. Winters are moderately cold with night time lows often below freezing. Spring weather is highly variable with extended periods of winds. Fall weather is usually mild. Temperatures range from 110° F (38°C) in June & July to O° F (-16°C) in December & January. Precipitation is generally light (less than 6 inches--15.2cm-- annually) though heavy rains and flash flooding can occur in spring and summer. Recommend lightweight, light colored clothing for summer, including a hat. Layers of clothing are best for other times of the year.
Arizona weather forecast and information..
Utah weather forecast and information.

DIRECTIONS:

Glen Canyon Dam and the Wahweap Marina are located near Page, AZ on Highway 89. Northern sections of the area , Bullfrog, Halls Crossing & Hite and the Orange Cliffs, may be reached from Highways 95 and 276. Escalante is located on Utah Highway 12. Lees Ferry and the Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center are located just off Highway 89A near Marble Canyon.

TRANSPORTATION:

All marinas are accessible by paved highways except for Dangling Rope, which is only accessible by water. The City of Page is served by a commercial commuter airline. Charter flights are available from Page to other areas on the lake. Bullfrog, Hite and Escalante all have landing strips. Cal Black Memorial Airport is located approximately 10 miles (16km) from Halls Crossing. In-park shuttle services are available at Wahweap, Bullfrog, Halls Crossing, and Hite. A vehicle ferry operates year-round between Bullfrog and Halls Crossing (ferry schedule & rates).

FEES, COSTS, RATES:

Through the Omnibus Bill of 1996, Congress approved a "fee demonstration program" to provide additional funds to parks. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA) was selected to participate in this program. New entrance, boating, and camping fees were initiated in 1997. Benefits of this program include:

Glen Canyon NRA retains 80% of revenue collected (compared to only 15% of revenues collected from traditional fee collection programs).
Retained funds enable the recreation area to focus on improving Lake Powell water quality. During the 1998 season, rangers talked with over 12,000 lakeshore campers about new human waste containment regulations.
A portion of fee monies have been earmarked for rehabilitation of the Wahweap picnic area, Lonely Dell Ranch Historic District, and Widows Ledge archeological site.

Entrance and Boating Fees

Other Passes:

The Golden Eagle Passport($50/year from date of purchase) provides free entrance for the passport holder and all vehicle occupants to Glen Canyon NRA (and other federal sites that charge entrance fees). The Golden Eagle Passport does not provide discounts on camping or annual boating fees.
The Golden Age Passport ($10/lifetime) provides free entrance for the passport holder and all vehicle occupants to Glen Canyon NRA (and other federal sites that charge entrance fees). It also provides the passport holder a 50% discount on National Park Service user fees, like Glen Canyon NRA's camping and annual boating fees.
The Golden Access Passport (free/lifetime) provides free entrance for the passport holder and all vehicle occupants to Glen Canyon NRA (and other federal sites that charge entrance fees). It provides the passport holder a 50% discount on National Park Service user fees, like Glen Canyon NRA's camping and annual boating fees. Golden Access Passports are available at Carl Hayden Visitor Center year-round and at Bullfrog Visitor Center from April-November.

How and Where to Get Passes:

By mail--Glen Canyon NRA 1999 season boating and entrance passes only. Passes are available by mail year-round. Print out a mail-in form..
From March 1 through March 19 at Glen Canyon NRA Headquarters--at the intersection of Arizona Highway 89 and Scenic View Drive outside of Page, Arizona, from 7-4 Mountain Standard Time, Monday-Friday. All annual passes except the Golden Access Passport will be available.
At Entrance Stations--beginning April 2 at Wahweap and April 23 at Bullfrog and Halls Crossing. All passes except the Golden Access Passport will be available.
At Self-Service Entrance Booths--starting April 23 at Hite and year-round at Lees Ferry. Glen Canyon NRA 1-7 day passes will be available. Annual Passes may also be available from these self-service booths. Contact a ranger on-site or call a Fee Collection Supervisor at (520) 608-6542 or 6543 for further information.
Trading 1-7 day passes for annual passes--If you purchase a 1-7 day Glen Canyon NRA entrance or boating pass, and then determine that you want to trade it in for an annual Glen Canyon NRA or Golden Eagle Passport, you may do so ONLY while the 1-7 day pass you hold is valid. Trade-ins must occur in person at staffed entrance stations.

If you have questions, please call (520) 608-6542 or 6543.

FACILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES:

Acerage: 1,193,671, federal; 42,209, non-federal.

Visitor Center/Exhibits:
Carl Hayden Visitor Center, located at Glen Canyon Dam in Page, AZ.-- dinosaur tracks, Glen Canyon during the Ice Age, three-dimensional map of Glen Canyon NRA, photos and history of the construction of Glen Canyon Dam, orientation film.
Bullfrog Visitor Center, located at the Bullfrog Marina in Utah -- exhibits relating to geology and the natural & human history of Glen Canyon, Ancestral Puebloan ("anasazi") & pioneer artifacts, a life-size model of a slot canyon.
Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center, located on Highway 89A near Lees Ferry, AZ--features a pedestrian walkway across the old Navajo Bridge which spans the Colorado River in Marble Canyon, an interactive video, books about the area.

Trails, Roadways:

The Burr Trail roadway and the Hole-in-the-Rock Road. Numerous backcountry hiking routes in the Escalante and Orange Cliffs areas (permit required). Many opportunities for day hiking and backpacking exist within the recreation area, although there are few established trails. One exception is the Pedestal Alley trail, a 3 mile (4.8km) round-trip hiking trail, near Bullfrog

Programs/Activities:

Regularly scheduled ranger programs are available seasonally. Educational programs are available by appointment throughout the school year by calling (520) 608-6404.

Lodging and camping facilities:

There is a lodge at Wahweap and one at Bullfrog. Numerous accommodations are available in the City of Page. Only housekeeping units (trailers) are available at Halls Crossing and Hite. There is a National Park Service campground at Lees Ferry ($12/night). Concessioner operated campgrounds are available in Wahweap, Bullfrog, and Halls Crossing on a first-come, first served basis. The fee is $12.00 per night (Golden Age and Golden Access cards are honored). RV campgrounds are available at Wahweap, Bullfrog, and Halls Crossing. To reserve a lodge room or RV camping space, phone 1-800-528-6154. Primitive camping is available at the following vehicle accesible shore line areas: Lone Rock (Wahweap area), Stanton Creek, Bullfrog North & South (Bullfrog area), Hite, Dirty Devil and Farley Canyon (Hite area). These sites have no facilities except for pit toilets. The fee is $6 per vehicle per night. Shore line camping outside developed areas is possible lake-wide (campers must have self-contained or portable toilets). There is no fee.

Food/supplies:

Groceries and supplies are available at all marinas, though selection is limited. Numerous stores are available in Page.

Other Concessions/NPS-Managed Visitor Facilities and

Opportunities:
The Glen Canyon Natural History Association operates park bookstores at the Carl Hayden and Bullfrog Visitor Centers and at the Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center near Lees Ferry. Numerous titles relating to the areas are available, along with posters, postcards, maps, and videos. For further information call (520) 645-3532. The Association also conducts free tours of Glen Canyon Dam. Call the Carl Hayden Visitor Center for times. Please note: self-guided tours of the dam are no longer allowed at any time of year.
The park concessioner, ARAMARK, offers numerous services, including lodging, boat tours, boat rental, equipment rental, etc.

Accessibility:

Visitor Centers and other public buildings within the recreation area are accessible. Concession facilities are accessible.

Special Needs:

Shuttle vans are available at Wahweap, Bullfrog, Halls Crossing and Hite. A medical clinic, staffed by a Physician's Assistant, is open in Bullfrog from approximately May 15 to October 1.

RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES/PARK USE:

Fishing, boating, boat camping & water-based recreation, summer ranger programs, half & full-day tours to Rainbow Bridge, a guided tour of Glen Canyon Dam, four-wheeling on some of the park's backroads, backpacking in the Escalante or Orange Cliffs, exploring the lake's numerous side canyons by boat.

RESERVATIONS/PERMITS:

Appointments for school groups should be made two weeks in advance by calling (520) 608-6404. A Special Use Permit is required for special activities or organizations wishing to utilize the area for official functions. A Film Permit is required for all commercial filming. Camping reservations are required at Bullfrog only during Memorial Day Weekend. Call (520) 608-6200 for further information and applications for all permits.

BASIC VISIT RECOMMENDATIONS:

A minimum of one hour is recommended to visit Carl Hayden Visitor Center and take a guided tour of the dam (two hours in the off-season). One-half to one full day to take a tour to Rainbow Bridge. Three to seven days to visit the lake or backcountry areas.

SPECIAL EVENTS, PROGRAMS:

January -- Hole-in-the-Rock Commemoration
March -- Lake Powell Marathon (Wahweap); Lake Powell Hot Air Balloon Regatta (Wahweap)
July -- Fireworks display at Wahweap and Bullfrog
November -- Parade of Boat Lights (Bullfrog)
December -- Parade of Boat Lights (Wahweap); New Year's Eve Ball (Wahweap)

Call the park for specific dates and times of special events.

VISITOR IMPACTS:

Anyone camping within one-quarter mile (.5km) of Lake Powell is required to carry and use a portable toilet unless their boats or campers are self-contained or toilets are available on such as plastic bag-lined buckets or cans are not acceptable. Also, plastic bags or other containers contaminated with human wastes cannot legally be disposed of in dumpsters. Waste must be disposed of only at designated boat pumpouts and dump stations. For additional information, see "Lake Powell Pure."

The National Park Service is currently studying a proposed regulation regarding the use of personal watercraft in NPS areas. For additional information on this issue go to "What's New".
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FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION REGARDING BEACH CLOSURES, WATER QUALITY, FEE COLLECTION, AND OTHER IMPORTANT ISSUES, SEE "WHAT'S NEW--INFORMATION UPDATES."

ADJACENT VISITOR ATTRACTIONS:

From Wahweap: Grand Canyon (4 hours), Zion (2 hours), Wupatki/Sunset Crater (2 hours), Navajo National Monument (1.5 hours), Bryce Canyon (3 hours), Arches, (6 hours), Canyonlands (5 hours), and the Navajo Reservation.

From Bullfrog: Natural Bridges (2 hours), Capitol Reef (2 hours), Bryce Canyon (5 hours).

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

For additional information:

Write: Glen Canyon NRA, P.O. Box 1507, Page, AZ 86040.
Email: GLCA_CHVC@nps.gov
Phone: (520) 608-6404 (Carl Hayden Visitor Center) or (435) 684-7400 (Bullfrog Visitor Center).
For additional concession information phone: (800) 528-6154.

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Last Updated:Monday, 05-Jul-99 15:48:56
http://www.nps.gov/glca/