Plan for Page… Despite the Drought
I write and post a lot about the Page, Arizona, area, because it’s accessible and beautiful. The region was hit hard by closures stemming from the pandemic, and continues to be impacted by the ongoing drought.
The surrounding area of Northern Arizona and Southern Utah is full of unique, beautiful desert scenery and natural wonders, plus the man-made wonder: Lake Powell, which is struggling due to climate change.
Lake Powell
Lake Powell has become a visual representation of the ongoing drought in the West.
The lake became the second largest man-made lake in the country, after it was created by the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam in the 1960s. The Colorado River filled the canyons, creating nearly 2,000 miles of coastline and coves.
For many families, it's tradition to spend a week renting a houseboat on Lake Powell. By July of 2021, the water levels in the lake had fallen to all-time lows, which forced several marinas and boat launches to close.
Several of the houseboat companies were forced to pull the boats from the lake, and cancel reservations. Water fell to less than 30% capacity.
By mid-March of 2022, after an abnormally dry winter, Lake Powell’s levels dropped to a new record low: 3525 feet above elevation for the first time.
It’s significant because: if the water drops another 35 feet, down to 3490 feet, the turbines in the Glen Canyon Dam would stop producing electricity.
The Bureau of Reclamation says there are contingency plans in place to prevent that from happening, and prevent damage to the turbines.
Water officials have held back water from being released by the dam, and also diverted more into Lake Powell from the Blue Mesa and Flaming Gorge reservoirs to prevent the water level from dropping below the current point.
In the meantime, tourists have cut back on their summer lake plans, concerned they could be canceled again. The tourism industry in Page is hoping they’ll reconsider. Ramps are being extended to the lower waterline, to allow recreation to continue.
Even if you don’t hit the water, hiking around the road to Wahweap Marina offers unique sunrise or sunset colors and views.
Getting to Page
Page offers much more than Lake Powell, and is worth a trip even if it doesn’t include time on the water.
The small city is about 4 hours north of Phoenix (or about the same, east of Las Vegas).
Contour Airlines also offers a daily nonstop flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport to Page, which is about a 45 minute flight from Terminal 3. I’ve flown it a few times, and have enjoyed the convenience, for less than $200 roundtrip.
What to do in Page
A basic itinerary for two days would include sites you've heard of, but a few you may not know about.
One day would include booking a tour to Antelope Canyon, checking out Glen Canyon Dam or spending time at Lake Powell during the day, and driving yourself to Horseshoe Bend at sunset.
A second day would include driving to Utah, for the slot canyons at Buckskin Gulch in the morning. In the evening you could drive or take a sunset tour to Alstrom Point.
You’ll need to reserve a tour to Antelope Canyon. Much of the information can be found at the Page-Lake Powell Hub website.
I have a whole separate blog about Horseshoe Bend, with advice on avoiding crowds and getting the best photos possible. Sunset (or sunrise) are definitely the best times for the best lighting and skies.
Buckskin Gulch gained in popularity while Antelope Canyon was closed during the pandemic. It's more of a drive (into Utah, along Highway 89), but the slot canyon is well worth it. We also have a detailed blog on Buckskin.
Alstrom Point is an overlook of Lake Powell from the northern side in Utah.
Geographically, Alstrom is very close to Page. But there's no easy, direct route to get there. Sunset tours are usually four or five hours long, and probably easier than driving yourself, just because of the rough road to the overlook.
At some point, I want to camp overnight at this spot:
Alstrom Point, with Lake Powell looking like a painting behind me.
Pandemic Impact
The Page community suffered financially during the covid crisis.
Leaders of the Navajo Nation closed reservation sites (including Antelope Canyon) for 485 days. Staff at tour companies and other businesses which rely on international and domestic visitors were largely unable to operate, because the top spot (Antelope Canyon) remained closed.
New Plans to Lure Tourists
My colleague, Whitney Clark, interviewed tourism officials in Page in March of 2022, to learn about new ways they’re looking to bounce back from both the pandemic and Lake Powell’s drought problems.
For me, each time I visit Page I find something new to look forward to on my next trip. You can use it as a base for other parts of Utah, BLM land, the Hopi Reservation, the Navajo Reservation, Monument Valley, and more.
Of course, while Horseshoe Bend is the easiest (and probably the most popular) spot to visit in Page, White Pocket will always be my favorite!
