South Lake Powell’s Must-see Spots
South Lake Powell is full of exciting places to discover. From hidden coves to stunning canyons, here are a few must-visit spots that promise unforgettable adventures:
Antelope Canyon
Antelope Canyon is most commonly known for its scenic slot canyon region, but near its confluence with the Colorado River, the canyon widens and provides an enticing boating adventure. Enter the mouth of this canyon about 4 miles up from the Glen Canyon Dam on the East side of Antelope Island. The Canyon's kinks and bends will draw you in and the towering walls of sandstone on either side of you will keep you peering around the next corner.
Face Canyon
If you're looking for a quiet, more private, and more intimate place to play and explore, check out Face Canyon. With its high walls, it offers more shade in summer—and less traffic, so you'll feel as though you have it all to yourself. About 2.5 hours from the marina by houseboat, Face Canyon offers plenty of scenic offshoots and canyons that are fun to explore by kayak, powerboat or personal watercraft.
Gunsight Canyon
When the early river runners saw this big notch as they came down the Colorado River in the days before the Glen Canyon Dam, they named it Gunsight Canyon for its resemblance to that part of a firearm. Today, you can still see the slot that rises some 800 feet above Lake Powell, and towering Gunsight Butte, which casts its shadow (and provides great summer shade) across the canyon.
Navajo Canyon
One of the longest of Lake Powell's 96 major side canyons, Navajo Canyon is also one of the only side canyons to have been a tributary of the Colorado River. The canyon twists and meanders 15.5 miles past 600' high walls laden with Navajo Tapestries; iron oxide and manganese residue from the above, now eroded, beds of shale, that have "draped" down the sides of the canyon walls.
Padre Bay
Seven miles across and nine miles long, Padre Bay is the biggest bay on Lake Powell. It's also one of the most scenic, with spectacular views of monuments such as Domingues Butte, Tower Butte, Cookie Jar Butte, and the aptly-named Boundary Butte, which sits astride both Utah and Arizona. So while you'll have plenty of space for powerboating and pulling along skiers, wakeboarders, or kids (or grandparents!) on tubes, you'll also find plenty of wind-sheltered areas to park your houseboat, and alluring backshoots like Kane Wash Canyon that are great for kayaking and exploring.
Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Rainbow Bridge was established as a National Monument on May 30, 1910 - roughly 10 months after the Douglas - Cummings expedition "discovered" the natural stone bridge on August 14, 1909. The term "discovered" is used loosely because numerous Native American Tribes knew about the bridge's existence for centuries; many tribes even had tales, myths, and legends surrounding the bridge's purpose. President William H. Taft designated Rainbow Bridge as a National Monument.
Wahweap Bay
A big, broad, scenic expanse, Wahweap Bay gives you plenty of wide-open space for waterskiing and wakeboarding, yet it also offers its share of notch canyons (such as Wiregrass Canyon, Lone Rock Canyon, and Ice Cream Canyon) that are ideal for kayaks and even paddleboards. But perhaps the best thing about Wahweap Bay is its proximity to, well, everything.
Warm Creek Bay
Warm Creek Bay is just 20 minutes from the marina by houseboat via the Castle Rock Cut (which is usually open spring, summer, and fall), offering a great combination of remote splendor and convenient access to the marina, gas, dining, and supplies. Great for wakeboarding (it's about the same size as Wahweap Bay), Warm Creek Bay also provides beautiful views and nice sandy beaches. Take your personal watercraft or kayak exploring side canyons such as Crosby Canyon, where the set of a western town was constructed for the 1994 movie Maverick.
West Canyon
About 2.5 hours from the marina by houseboat, West Canyon is perfect for exploring, filled with offshoots like Labyrinth Canyon that are too narrow for a houseboat, yet ideal for exploring by powerboat or personal watercraft, or kayak—with multicolored walls towering hundreds of feet above you. The exploring doesn't stop at the water's edge, either: Once you reach the back of these canyons, you can easily beach your craft and take advantage of some of the most scenic slot-canyon hiking in the entire Colorado Plateau. It's great fun, great exercise, and a great way to get close to nature.