Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

We've been off the grid for several days while at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, better known as Lake Powell.  The internet reception was terrible even with a hot spot and cell phone booster. But it was worth it. The drive from Utah over the mountains and into the Lake Powell area was fantastic. Around every turn, something beautiful popped up.

And then we came to the gates of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. I didn't think we were in the right place, but the ranger at the gate told us to head down the road about a mile. We kept getting closer and closer to the lake. Next came the office and registration. We were at the right place, Wahweap Marina campground. More breathtaking views.

This was one of the best campgrounds so far. Not only beautiful but also one of the most well run and well outfitted.  Concrete, level pads. Superior utility connections. Picnic tables, individual barbecue grills, and fire pits. Walking paths with great access for dogs and, oh yea, jack rabbits. The sky can only be described as brilliant. The closest town is Page, AZ with a population of only 8,000 that doesn't produce ambient light.  Nothing but stars!!

Friday we headed to the Glen Canyon dam and had a guided tour through the facility. This was the last of the big dams on the Colorado.  The dam was started in 1956 when Ike pressed the button in DC that started the first explosion for the dam.  It was finished in 1966 but then took until 1980 to back fill the lake. The dam is 710' high and provides an equitable water distribution to Colorado, Wyoming, most of New Mexico and the lower basin of Nevada, California and Arizona. In addition, the dam provides hydroelectric power to the point that they produce more electricity than demand.  There were so many construction workers that the town of Page had to be constructed and the bridge across the canyon completed before they built the dam.

Every day something great!