lake powell pics and info?

[riverroyal]

we are making our 1st trip to powell next month. 4 days on the water and staying at the south end at the powell resort.
What do I NEED to see? what is a waste?
How far is it from the south end?
Pontoon cruises at 40ish, I have no issues running for 2 or 3 hours to see something.
It will be day trips, no camping or anything
Obviously the canyons are something we want to see, where are the best ones?
Im looking forward to it. Leaving and returning to havasu, so the tow isn't horrible
If you have pics please post them!
RR

 

[riverroyal]

also, its midweek if that matter

 

[JD D05]

Sure!



1- Rainbow Bridge - this one is obvious but a must if you have never been.
2- Cathedral Canyon - just south of Rainbow but I think one of the best canyons, with a small boat you can get into some tight spots.

3- Reflections Canyon - just cool entrance is just South of San Juan Arm
4- San Juan Arm - probably most remote area just fun to cruise up very few boats
5- Llewellyn Gulch - just North of San Juan, nothing crazy just a place I like to go park at the bend.

6- Escalante Arm - In my opinion the best location in Powell. Must hit Davis Gulch, 50 Mile Canyon. LaGorce Arch is up 50 Mile. Clear Creek canyon is also up Escalante this is where you can park and hike to Cathedral In The Desert
7- I really like going up to Good Hope Bay but this is WAY out there even launching from Bullfrog.

 

[AJ13]

Get a Slip.

 

[DUNEFLYER]

wouldn't Page be considered more of the south end?

 

[havasu5150]

We are making our first trip next month as well. Similar to yours 4 days, Sunday thru Thursday. Staying at a VRBO in Page. How far are some of these sights from Wahweep?

 

[2Driver]

Get a stan jones map and take a good gps that shows the lake cove names. motionx gps works. Its easy to head down an arm and think you are still in the main channel.

get a marine radio or a $30 hand held Boafang ham radio and program in marine channels yourself

Don’t underestimate that lake or weather, it can kick your ass NPS wont help you unless you are injured or life is actually being threatened. wont start and adrift is not their problem.

Look at the map and use the bouy channel marker numbers to see how far you really want to motor. as reference Dangling rope marina is a lot in one day RT. I think you could have a lot of fun in Last Chance bay exploring and finding a beach.

 

[Crazyhippy]

wouldn't Page be considered more of the south end?

The "resort" is in Wahweap... Page adjacent

Powell is completely different boating than anywhere else. Stunning views in all directions. As isolated as you want to get, but still gets bumpy from traffic in the main channel.

Do not miss the ice cream @ Dangling Rope, and do not try to stretch the fuel tank a few more miles than you should. Fill up passing Dangling rope going either direction. It is a BIG lake. It will ruin your perception of Havasu as a big.

Get a GPS and know how to use it.
Pick up a decent map, and know how to read it.

Have a VHF radio to contact the ranger if needed.

Have fun!

View from the "resort" isn't half bad.

It is a BIG lake. No way you will see it all in 4 days. We did 100-140 miles a day for 4 days, and didn't go much past rainbow bridge.

As mentioned, get a slip. $25-30 a night, and had no worries at all.

 

[HB2Havasu]

Must be a common theme this crazy year. (My vacation to Italy got cancelled. Then my Plan B to Glacier National park was cancelled) We will be in Powell from July 19-22. Also renting a VRBO. I've only been to Powell once before. Besides the ones mentioned above I remember Navajo Canyon was really impressive!

 

[NorCalRiverRat]

alot of good info. i'll just add parking (mooring) at rainbow bridge is at a real premium, or maybe I picked the wrong day. if your towing a waverunner that would be easiest way get a spot.

 

[Crazyhippy]

alot of good info. i'll just add parking (mooring) at rainbow bridge is at a real premium, or maybe I picked the wrong day. if your towing a waverunner that would be easiest way get a spot.

I found space... lol. Mid August 2019

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk

 

[mesquito_creek]

Number one tip if you are staying at the Wahweep resort is the handheld VHF tuned to 78 for the golf cart service. Call it to help shuttle you/coolers around etc (they work on tips)... its a long walk from the marina/ramp to the parking lot and rooms. I would get a slip also... You are going to have a hard time seeing anything north of Rainbow bridge on day trips in a 40 mph pontoon. Thats ok, you really can't see even 1/4 of what is south of rainbow in 4 days. Just work all the canyons on the SE side for the first few days. antelope, face, western etc.. and go from there...

 

[JD D05]

I found space... lol. Mid August 2019

View attachment 889364

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[NorCalRiverRat]

I found space... lol. Mid August 2019

View attachment 889364

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk

looks like you picked the right day. it is a long dock but then houseboats dock there and the tour boat. it can fill up...

 

[riverroyal]

I have a garmin GPS. I was told a ship to shore radio., that the same as VHF? no clue about marine electronics
I do have a slip.
How far is tangling rope from the resort?

 

[EBT531]

Same idea here. Heading there 6/27-7/1 to check it out. Putting in at Wahweep so will likely be on the south end most of the time but I have 150 gal tank so should be able to cruise pretty far.

 

[JB in so cal]

I have a garmin GPS. I was told a ship to shore radio., that the same as VHF? no clue about marine electronics
I do have a slip.
How far is tangling rope from the resort?

Same as VHF. Get max power output if handheld. Handy to have during desert storm too. extra fuel cans strapped onto the rear deck. Your rainbow flag...

 

[mesquito_creek]

I have a garmin GPS. I was told a ship to shore radio., that the same as VHF? no clue about marine electronics
I do have a slip.
How far is tangling rope from the resort?

If you go through the castle rock cut and then drive the insides of the winding lake, trying to straighten out the mileage, I log 29 miles on the gps from wahweep to dangling rope.
Center channel nav bouys puts dangling rope at mile point 47. 47 miles is the route from wahweep to the dam and through antelope marina.

I did it a few weeks back through the cut at 30 mph wahweep to dangling in about an hour with no stops.

 

[mesquito_creek]

You will get worse gas mileage with the elevation. I did not change props and it required about 200-300 more rpm to maintain planning speed.

 

[Ol Man]

Get a Stan Jones map, mounted in plastic.

Folks have given a lot of ideas. Get up early and stay out late.

Have a meal at the restaurant at Antelope Marina.

 

[mesquito_creek]

Try this track... it’s almost to dangling rope

GaiaGPS - Weep

www.gaiagps.com

 

[Hotski2]

Reflection / Mirror canyon when you hit it right time of day you are idling back and can hardly tell the difference between edge of water and the canyon walls!
The Gratto canyon.
The boat cave!
San Juan River arm.
Just get back as far as you can into every canyon and you will have a blast!
Use Dangling Rope Marina as a gas up point to get farther up the lake. Make sure you hit it before sunset on the way back to Wahweap they stop pumping gas at sunset.

 

[DaveH]

looks like you picked the right day. it is a long dock but then houseboats dock there and the tour boat. it can fill up...

the trick to rainbow bridge is go there late in the day on your way BACK to page.

after 5pm you probably will be the only boat there. also a better time to go as its in the shade and a cooler walk, its DEAD quiet and a more surreal experience without a boat load of tourists from the cattle boat..

its 50 miles from rainbow to Wahwheep but this time of year it doesnt get dark untill well after 8pm. so depending on how fast your boat is..........

 

[seanroberts]

Everyone has been giving you great ideas. We've been house boating on Lake Powell since 2006. We will be launching on July 2nd and coming off the water July 16th. My boat is the Midas Touch, We use the 29 Lavey, Bikinis n Martinis, a white Centurion and 2 Yamaha wave runners . The Lavey is for the long runs. If you see us stop and say hello.

Powell is great.

Have the radio.
Have extra fuel.
Have a GPS and a map.
The water can go from 400' deep to 2' deep because of how the mountains are. It's the Grand Canyon on water.

Here are a few pics so you can spot us. We usually stay in Rock Creek Bay but we might be going up past Rainbow Bridge if we see to many people on the lake. I've heard it's very busy.

 

[mesquito_creek]

Here is a waypoint to the boat cave in rock canyon

GaiaGPS - Cave

www.gaiagps.com

 

[2Driver]

Same as VHF. Get max power output if handheld. Handy to have during desert storm too. extra fuel cans strapped onto the rear deck. Your rainbow flag...

No fag ? Honestly you are there for just a few days and doing RT to Wahweap each day. I would really just mess around Last Chance and West Canyon.

Don't bite off more that you can chew the first time. I guarantee you'll come home planning your next trip.

 

[Your ad here]

There is so much to see. Plan on making more trips in the future. We have been going for over 20 years. Other than the drive its an easier trip than going to Havasu. Used to leave early morning when I lived in OC but that was boring. Last 2 years in OC I would leave in the afternoon and take a break at Fremont Street then keep going and arrive at sunrise. Now I'm only 4.5 hours away in Phoenix. Going the end of July and will make a loop through Monument Valley on the way up.

 

[NorCalRiverRat]

Going the end of July and will make a loop through Monument Valley on the way up.

Monument valley hard to beat. have you been to valley of the gods ? and near there the moki dugway, I get a kick out of that road but I'm easily entertained.

 

[98special]

No fag ? Honestly you are there for just a few days and doing RT to Wahweap each day. I would really just mess around Last Chance and West Canyon.

Don't bite off more that you can chew the first time. I guarantee you'll come home planning your next trip.

What 2Driver said. If I remember right, the water is super clear this time of year.
We haven't been to the south end in more than 20 years. Rainbow is 40 mile uplake from Wahweep. Next trip head up to Halls!

 

[riverroyal]

So heres what i got. Stay below dangling rope and see all i can there.
Possibly go with a few gas cans
Toon has a 45 gal tank, not huge
London bridge to the springs is about 30 gallons.
No doubt i wont pass any fuel docks

 

[JB in so cal]

So heres what i got. Stay below dangling rope and see all i can there.
Possibly go with a few gas cans
Toon has a 45 gal tank, not huge
London bridge to the springs is about 30 gallons.
No doubt i wont pass any fuel docks

....and you're a homo

 

[Bpracing1127]

I leave tomorrow for lake powell for a 7 day houseboat trip

 

[riverroyal]

....and you're a homo

And theres that

 

[24 Sleekenforcer]

Dangling rope mm 42
Rainbow Bridge mm 50
Escalante mm 70
When I go all the way to the Escalante arm my boat hold 80 gallons of fuel and use it all .
With all the side canyons you need to stop at Dangling rope and top it off.
The only ramps open are Wahweep and stateline ,They will be busy. Antelope restaurant
is closed until July 6.

 

[JD D05]

So heres what i got. Stay below dangling rope and see all i can there.
Possibly go with a few gas cans
Toon has a 45 gal tank, not huge
London bridge to the springs is about 30 gallons.
No doubt i wont pass any fuel docks

God grow up and make it to Escalante.

You need to get here.

 

[riverroyal]

ha, ok ok

 

[riverroyal]

Dangling rope mm 42
Rainbow Bridge mm 50
Escalante mm 70
When I go all the way to the Escalante arm my boat hold 80 gallons of fuel and use it all .
With all the side canyons you need to stop at Dangling rope and top it off.
The only ramps open are Wahweep and stateline ,They will be busy. Antelope restaurant
is closed until July 6.

we got a slip, so no worries on the ramp. Im starting to think 4 days on the water will be way short!

 

[DaveH]

we got a slip, so no worries on the ramp. Im starting to think 4 days on the water will be way short!

JD is right.....Escalante is the hart and best part of the lake.

problem is......its 70 miles to the ENTRANCE of the Escalante river. Its another 20+ miles up the river to LaGorce arch, Davis gulch and the other iconic spots there.

you need to plan on about running 125 miles each way. dangling rope has fuel (45 miles up from Wahwheep) but not after 5 or 6pm so plan accordingly.

 

[Mandelon]

I have a handheld VHF radio if you want to borrow it.

 

[24 Sleekenforcer]

 

[2Driver]

Last year my ATT cell had horrible coverage. I lost coverage a few miles from Wawheap and never got it again all the way to dangling rope.
Keep in mine your ship to shore hand held will only go about a couple miles at best, and less if you don’t have line of sight. Also it’s handy to take Binos
All the up lake places are super cool and we have spent a week in Rock creek and Escalante. You just have to figure if it’s worth motoring for 6 non-stop hours r/ t to get there, especially if you aren’t running with another boat.

 

[riverroyal]

Last year my ATT cell had horrible coverage. I lost coverage a few miles from Wawheap and never got it again all the way to dangling rope.
Keep in mine your ship to shore hand held will only go about a couple miles at best, and less if you don’t have line of sight. Also it’s handy to take Binos
All the up lake places are super cool and we have spent a week in Rock creek and Escalante. You just have to figure if it’s worth motoring for 6 non-stop hours r/ t to get there, especially if you aren’t running with another boat.

thats a concern. Thanks for the advise

 

[DUNEFLYER]

Enjoy your trip, we have been houseboating up there for 20 years, this looks like our last year on our boat (7-22/7-31) as I am going to sell her at the end of this summer. Kids with kids and sports ect.. is making it a bit harder to pull off a trip. Since this is a boating site and the peeps here are boaters, Lake Powell is a MUST do boaters paradise.

 

[riverroyal]

where is that canyon picture from?

 

[HB2Havasu]

Curious. Is there an iPhone App that runs off Satellite for GPS Map of Powell ?

 

[JD D05]

where is that canyon picture from?

Looks like Clear Creek to me.

 

[mesquito_creek]

While I agree that Escalente is one of the highlights of the lake, it took me 2 nights and 2 full days to make it up to Escalente last month in an express cruiser out of wahweep. To pin the throttle on a pontoon boat at 40 mph straight there? The juice wouldn't be worth the squeeze for me, since he has spent zero hours on the south end of the lake. But having said that,.. never has a well laid plan at lake powell hardly ever been completed. Just get out there and start exploring, let the lake speak to you and enjoy your trip, its impossible to not be "wowed" by most all the canyons.

 

[JD D05]

While I agree that Escalente is one of the highlights of the lake, it took me 2 nights and 2 full days to make it up to Escalente last month in an express cruiser out of wahweep. To pin the throttle on a pontoon boat at 40 mph straight there? The juice wouldn't be worth the squeeze for me, since he has spent zero hours on the south end of the lake. But having said that,.. never has a well laid plan at lake powell hardly ever been completed. Just get out there and start exploring, let the lake speak to you and enjoy your trip, its impossible to not be "wowed" by most all the canyons.

Why did it take that long?

Took us about 20 min a couple weeks ago lol

 

[mesquito_creek]

Curious. Is there an iPhone App that runs off Satellite for GPS Map of Powell ?

I used GAIA GPS on my Iphone last month. I posted a track and a waypoint earlier in this thread if you want to check out how that app logs the data.... I hardly use my Garmin chartplotter anymore, just as a back up to GAIA....

 

[mesquito_creek]

Why did it take that long?

Because we get distracted by all the other cool stuff to see... like to get off the boat and hike around... drink, party and take in the surroundings too much so we have to stay put!