Where Canyons Whisper and Coves Call

Current water level conditions provide our Lake Powell guests with a unique opportunity to discover the magnificent Gregory Arch, a 137-foot expanse of Navajo sandstone that spans Fiftymile Canyon and was fully submerged when the reservoir was filled in 1969. As the second-largest natural bridge in the U.S. (only Rainbow Bridge is larger), it's become the latest must-see at Lake Powell with wonderful hiking kayaking, and sightseeing opportunities in the area.

Once you've rented your houseboat, you're already in Bullfrog Bay. So while you're still in the middle of "civilization," with all its amenities (such as dining, fuel, and ice), you're only 30 minutes, by powerboat or personal watercraft, from all the north lake has to offer. Bullfrog Bay has sandy beaches, so it's easy to anchor your houseboat, and get right down to the business of playing. Bullfrog Bay offers plenty of space for waterskiing and wakeboarding, complemented by numerous finger canyons for kayaks and paddleboards. It also boasts great fishing and migratory bird watching, making it a perfect all-around bay.

Located about 23 miles south of Bullfrog Marina, on the Escalante Arm of Lake Powell, Cathedral in The Desert is a favorite destination for boaters on Lake Powell. While what you see varies greatly by water level, it is surely not to be missed when coming to Lake Powell. Water levels above 3620' will allow boaters to glide through calm waters back to a place where a small powerboat can tie off. A short walk up and over some ledges will lead you into a chamber where sandstone walls tower 1000' over your head.

As you boat around the final bend of this chasm, you'll find yourself inside the awe-inspiring Cathedral In The Desert, with its hole in the roof admitting sunlight—or a waterfall, depending on the weather. Enjoy hiking and fishing, too. Expect a five-hour houseboat trip or a two-hour powerboat trip, coming from Bullfrog Marina and slightly less if coming from Halls Crossing.

This is kayak paradise. Part of the Escalante River Arm of Lake Powell, this long, narrow canyon is also ideal for personal watercraft and small boats, with some 15 different offshoot canyons to explore. The sights are spectacular: there are sheer walls and amphitheaters; you can even pull up alongside the natural stone arch at Davis Gulch; it's an easy hike from the edge. Fishing is rewarding at the Escalante, too, from the mouth of the canyon all the way in; this is where record-breaking fish have been caught. It's about a three-hour houseboat cruise from Bullfrog Marina—but in summer, you have 12 hours of daylight—and well worth the excursion.

Beach your boat in beautiful Forgotten Canyon, and in just 20 minutes, you can hike to Defiance House: ruins dating back 700 years—and discovered in the 1950s bedecked with mural-like paintings, containing bowls with original scraps of food! Don't miss this moving encounter with the past. It will take approximately one and a half hours by houseboat and 30 minutes by powerboat from Bullfrog Marina and Halls Crossing.

Good Hope Bay is Lake Powell's best-kept secret for waterskiing, wakeboarding, and tubing. Why? It's angled in a different direction from most of the lake's bays, reducing its winds, and keeping the water glassy smooth across its entire expanse, which stretches for over ten miles. Good Hope Bay is also great for camping, with nice beaches and wildlife (see if you can spot the bighorn sheep up on the rocks on the Ticaboo Canyon side). And if that weren't enough, it offers numerous finger canyons for exploring, and great fishing for all kinds of bass, walleye, and even northern pike. The bay is about 32 miles from your houseboat pickup point, so fill your toy-tank before you go, but it's well worth the trip.

An easy 35 minutes by houseboat from Bullfrog Marina, Halls Creek Bay boasts sandy beaches, great fishing, and rewarding hiking in spring and fall. The views of the Henry Mountains are beautiful. The water in the bay tends to be a little calmer here, making it ideal for waterskiing. Yet it's just ten minutes, by powerboat or personal watercraft, from fuel, ice, and the largest marina store on the north lake. Halls Creek Bay has plenty of coves that can shelter your houseboat from wind and sun, so you can use your water toys to explore its numerous canyons, dotted with water pockets and home to wildlife such as coyotes, deer, and migratory birds.

This canyon - one of our personal favorites - is like its own pristine world, with six chasms decked with deep oranges and lush greenery, fantastic fishing (you can land bass and walleye), a natural dam, and Anasazi ruins you can hike to on the ledges above. From Bullfrog Marina, it will take you approximately three hours by houseboat and one hour by powerboat to get to Iceberg Canyon. If you are coming from Halls Crossing, it will take about two hours by houseboat and just under an hour by powerboat

LaGorce Arch in Davis Gulch off the Escalante River is an absolute must-see. When the lake water level is high, you can pilot a small houseboat up to the arch. One hundred feet high, the sunlight shafts through it at daybreak and sunset, and you can see the river on either side when you hike the area.

Coast quietly into Lost Eden Canyon around sunrise or sunset, and you'll feel like you're boating on glass as you marvel as its soaring amphitheaters, perfectly reflecting their tapestry-like coloring on the smooth unbroken water. And the fishing is as good as the scenery. Lost Eden Canyon is approximately an hour drive, by houseboat or a 20-minute drive, by powerboat from Bullfrog Marina and Halls Crossing.

Narrow, steep, and spectacular, Moki Canyon—about eight miles, or 45 minutes by houseboat, from Bullfrog Marina—is your destination for incredible kayaking. Explore the same caves and canyons where Native Americans lived centuries ago. Discover ancient Anasazi ruins and petroglyphs. You'll paddle between stonewalls that soar up to 400 feet above you; there's also a beach with a sandy hill where you can take your houseboat.

The mile-wide main channel of the horseshoe-shaped Rincon is great for waterskiing, wakeboarding, and tubing. Inside its curved arms, the character changes, making it better suited to personal watercraft and kayaks, with no shortage of fascinating places to explore and hike: Discover petrified wood; spot the herd of wild donkeys roaming near the San Juan River; marvel at Wilson Mesa, towering over 1,200 feet above the water level.