Lake Powell must see spots.

[swatski]

This is my lake and so excited to talk about it! Such a gorgeous place! @swatski, what days will you be there? I will be there the week of 6/3 (and about every other week thereafter. It’s a great time to be on the lake! Memorial Day crowds are gone and water is just getting warm enough to enjoy.

You can rent a slip by the day at the Wahweap Marina. Overnight Slips | Wahweap Marina Services (South Lake Powell - AZ)

Mussel inspections aren’t a big deal. They will want to look at your anchors and ropes and have you blow out your engines on your last pullout of your trip. They will tag your boat and you’re not supposed to remove it for 14 days I believe. During that 14 day period let your boat dry out to kill any mussels that may have hitched a ride. If you are going to launch in another body of water within 14 days of leaving Powell you will need to be decontaminated. Decon is free and I can get you some info on this if you need.

The water-data site that @Frank Marshall mentioned above is great up to date info on the lake.

Awesome! Thanks a bunch. Will be there 6/2-6/6, staying in Page.
My plan is to take as many far reaching trips up the lake as my crew will let me, lol. We will see, my plans don’t always work 100%, lolol.

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[Rumbo]

There’s plenty to explore but absolute musts are Rainbow Bridge and Reflection Canyon. Depending on how much the lake comes up by then Rainbow Bridge will likely be a little bit of a hike from the docks (½ mile or so). The park will not allow dogs on the trail so if you’re traveling with a dog someone will need to stay behind with the dog at your boat.

Reflection Canyon is about 7 miles uplake from the turn off to Rainbow bridge so I would recommend seeing both of those the same day.

The scenery along the way is majestic so enjoy the ride up there! The main channel between Last Chance Bay and Rock Creek is the prettiest scerery I have seen on a lake. And as others have mentioned, a stop for ice cream (probably gas as well) at Dangling Rope is a must.

If you decide to pull your boat out each night Antelope Point Marina is probably your best launch point if you want to head uplake. Right now the ramp is 16’ out of the water so this is going to depend on how much the lake comes up by June. Otherwise, Wahweap is a good launch point. Wahweap adds 2-3 miles to your trip uplake so not a big deal either way.

 

[J-RAD]

Looks like spring runoff is a bit delayed...

The warm-up here in the north (upper basin of the Colorado & tributaries) has been slow. We have been getting a ton of rain and are near 140% snowpack. But this is all following 2018 which is one of the driest seasons on record and the reason for LP's current water situation. We're creeping later and later in the season which means when it warms up, it's probably going to happen fast... despite the amount of precipitation up north, I've read they're still only planning on a average runoff due to the dry conditions from 2018. Anyway, give it a couple weeks and I think it'll be on the rise.

 

[sysinu]

The lake is stupid low right now. Cut is closed. You can launch from most sites.

For LP, you want to see antelope canyon, dangling rope, rainbow bridge, LHC (the lake is low enough). There are a bunch of doughnut type formations that you can get into as well.

Have a look at Lake Powell Water Database

 

[Frank Marshall]

@swatski you donate a lot of info to this forum. In appreciation of that I will try and set you up with digital lake level adjusted maps. Please let me know which of the following devices you have and I will get you maps for them.
Lowerance or older Garmin chartplotters, laptop, iPhone, iPad, Android Phone, Pad.

There all always different "whales" to bite your boat on Lake Powell depending on the water level. My maps are adjusted to the current water level with a "Shallow Depth" warning highlight.

If you want more info go to: LAKE LEVEL GPS MAPS

 

[sysinu]

I use Navionics, never used the product Frank is talking about. Navionics is elevation adjusted and has shallow depth warnings as well. Be VERY careful navigating lake powell... you'll go from 400' of water depth to 2' of water depth in 20' of area .

 

[J-RAD]

The lake is stupid low right now. Cut is closed. You can launch from most sites.

For LP, you want to see antelope canyon, dangling rope, rainbow bridge, LHC (the lake is low enough). There are a bunch of doughnut type formations that you can get into as well.

Have a look at Lake Powell Water Database

It's crazy to realize just how low it is... @swatski When you visit Rainbow Bridge pay attention to how far the hike is and where the high water mark is on the canyon walls. When I was a kid, you could see the arch from the dock and the water went up to and under the under the bridge... Be sure to talk to the ranger on duty there, they usually share the Native American legend of the arch. Also be sure they show you the dinosaur track that's there.

Update:
I guess the amount of rain and snow over the last month has changed the estimates. I just finished reading an article stating the new prediction. It stated LP will recieve 128% of the average this water year as opposed to only average. Which is good news. However, in 20 years this would make only the 5th year with above average water levels. Hence the net negative for sustained water levels.

 

[Rumbo]

When I was a kid, you could see the arch from the dock and the water went up to and under the under the bridge...

I remember those days. It’s what, ½ mile (or more) hike now? FYI...Rangers will not allow you to take a dog on the trail.

Hence the net negative for sustained water levels.

This is as much ridiculous water usage downstream as it is precipitation. Imperial water district won’t let the accidental, dying, unsustainable Salton Sea dry up. Cutting water diversions from that desolate waste would balance outflows/inflows on all Colorado River reservoirs alone.

 

[swatski]

@swatski you donate a lot of info to this forum. In appreciation of that I will try and set you up with digital lake level adjusted maps. Please let me know which of the following devices you have and I will get you maps for them.
Lowerance or older Garmin chartplotters, laptop, iPhone, iPad, Android Phone, Pad.

There all always different "whales" to bite your boat on Lake Powell depending on the water level. My maps are adjusted to the current water level with a "Shallow Depth" warning highlight.

If you want more info go to: LAKE LEVEL GPS MAPS

Much appreciated, thank you, the info you guys are providing here is fantastic!
I'm really looking forward to this trip more than anything else. We use Navionics +, and will probably double up with an iPad for safety.

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[J-RAD]

I remember those days. It’s what, ½ mile (or more) hike now? FYI...Rangers will not allow you to take a dog on the trail.


This is as much ridiculous water usage downstream as it is precipitation. Imperial water district won’t let the accidental, dying, unsustainable Salton Sea dry up. Cutting water diversions from that desolate waste would balance outflows/inflows on all Colorado River reservoirs alone.

Last time I made the hike it was probably closer to a mile... I have no clue what it would be at the present moment...?

Still well worth the hike though. Take good shoes and plenty of water.

 

[Frank Marshall]

I'll get you set up on your iPad this weekend.

 

[sysinu]

One note about LP and Yamaha's... if you go in the early summer when there's high runoff, the lake will have all sorts of debris in it. I think that part we're all pretty accustom to. When you go into the marina's, however, be weary of all the shit people discard into the water. I've had a few times situations where I've sucked in a water bottle cap and had to get that taken care of in a narrow passageway.

 

[J-RAD]

The run off has begun

 

[cbpagent72]

@swatski you donate a lot of info to this forum. In appreciation of that I will try and set you up with digital lake level adjusted maps. Please let me know which of the following devices you have and I will get you maps for them.
Lowerance or older Garmin chartplotters, laptop, iPhone, iPad, Android Phone, Pad.

There all always different "whales" to bite your boat on Lake Powell depending on the water level. My maps are adjusted to the current water level with a "Shallow Depth" warning highlight.

If you want more info go to: LAKE LEVEL GPS MAPS

Do you just calculate what Garmin LakeVu G3 is showing on depth and subject the depth from full pool? Going to Bullfrog many times this summer and trying to figure out the Garmin calculation.

 

[Frank Marshall]

Do you just calculate what Garmin LakeVu G3 is showing on depth and subject the depth from full pool? Going to Bullfrog many times this summer and trying to figure out the Garmin calculation.

When I bought my Garmin GPSmap 526, they offered "Shallow Offset" which I thought would be a vertical adjustment, it wasn't it was horizontal and limited to 75'. Didn't do me any good. Not finding a solution to my lake level adjustment needs, I created new maps for older Garmins and then other devices.
I suspect your newer unit has a vertical adjustment. What I would do is beach my boat, and then assume the map was designed for full pool (3700') and adjust it down for the Current Water Level. Then see if it shows you at the edge of the lake where you are beached. If not adjust and note that amount to call full pool or it's maximum lake level. I hope this makes sense.

 

[cbpagent72]

Thanks for all the info, much appreciated. My GPS isn't super new it is a Garmin Gpsmap741 but I did get the lakevu g3 maps for it. I'm heading down top lake Powell tomorrow for the first time season. From what I'm hearing the main boat launch ramp at Bullfrog is not useable due to the water levels.

 

[J-RAD]

Thanks for all the info, much appreciated. My GPS isn't super new it is a Garmin Gpsmap741 but I did get the lakevu g3 maps for it. I'm heading down top lake Powell tomorrow for the first time season. From what I'm hearing the main boat launch ramp at Bullfrog is not useable due to the water levels.

Via-

Alerts & Conditions - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service)

www.nps.gov

Main launch ramp at Bullfrog Marina closed due to low water levels
Date Posted: 3/22/2019
While the main ramp is closed, the north launch ramp remains open and available to all boaters and another launch location for vessels up to 20 feet in length was added east of the main ramp.

 

[Ratket]

One other thing to watch for is afternoon thunder storms, they can roll in in a heart beat. Make for a great show at night though.

 

[JBehrens]

One other thing to watch for is afternoon thunder storms, they can roll in in a heart beat. Make for a great show at night though.

Makes for a good show up until the storm finds you and then you have to fight to keep a houseboat on the beach... It's crazy how powerful some of the storms can be.

 

[J-RAD]

I think in @swatski's case your probably going at a time where you're likely to avoid the most active times for weather. Although it can be a gamble anytime... it has been a active spring. About August the monsoon flow kicks into gear. You'll be in town frequently, so take the time to check the weather. If your curious, you should be able to pick up the weather broadcast over your VHF.