Concrete arch-gravity dam on the Colorado River in northern Arizona, near the town of Page
General Information
Summer (March–October): 9am to 5pm
Winter (November–February): 9am to 4pm
Dam tours, when available, may have separate fees
Summer is popular for water activities but can be extremely hot
Winter is quieter but some services may be limited
How to Get There
From Page, AZ (2 mi): Head southwest on US-89, turn right onto Lakeshore Drive, and follow signs to the Glen Canyon Dam Visitor Center.
Overview
Glen Canyon Dam is a 710-foot concrete arch dam on the Colorado River next to Page, Arizona, and the reason Lake Powell exists, a vast, winding reservoir among the country’s most popular boating destinations. Built from 1956 to 1966 by the Bureau of Reclamation, the dam also generates hydroelectric power and regulates water for the Colorado River Basin states. The Carl Hayden Visitor Center at the dam is toured by more than 500,000 people a year.
Things to Do
- Visitor center and dam tour at the Carl Hayden Visitor Center.
- Lake Powell: houseboating, fishing, waterskiing, swimming and hiking in the 1.25-million-acre Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, which draws over three million visitors a year. Marinas near Page include Wahweap and Antelope Point.
- Rainbow Bridge: about 85,000 people a year travel by boat to this natural arch.
- Glen Canyon Dam Bridge: a 1,271-foot steel arch bridge carrying U.S. 89, with its deck 700 feet above the river.
Lake Powell is named for John Wesley Powell, who led the first boat expedition through the Grand Canyon in 1869. It first filled in 1980.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Glen Canyon Dam", and , which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0
