Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Guide
Introduction
Sitting on about 2,000 sq. miles of land and water, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is a premier destination for all lovers of camping and recreation. Stretching from Lees Ferry in Arizona to Orange Cliffs in Utah, this park features scenic vistas, beautiful panorama, and geological wonders that every RV camper must see.
Primitive camping, group camping, backcountry camping, and RV camping options are available in Glen Canyon NRA for all kinds of vacationers. There are six RV campgrounds in the park, equipped with full hookups, partial hookups and no hookups for RVs. Facilities in the park include boat launch ramps, fish cleaning stations, dump stations, and parking lots. Amenities within campsites are picnic tables, potable water, fire grills, laundry, and many others.
Rest assured you can enjoy a wide variety of recreational opportunities at Glen Canyon NRA. Hikers walk on the unmaintained trails in the park with their pets; anglers cast their tackle for various fish species in Lake Powell; bird watchers have their fill of beautiful and diverse birds. Boating and kayaking are also popular activities in the park. Additionally, you can take out time to swim in the lake. Mountain biking and guided tours are also available.
RV Rentals in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Transportation
Driving
With land in Utah and Arizona, Glen Canyon NRA is accessible from various points within both states. The specific sites within the NRA that RV campers and visitors wish to reach will determine the access roads that will be used. However, in all, majority of the park is accessible by rigs and cars, offering driving ease. A look at the park map will guide you regarding how to access your area of choice. Some parts of the park are only accessible by boats. There are paved, unpaved and gravel roads within the park and no driving restrictions are in force within the park.
Parking
Finding parking spaces within Glen Canyon NRA is the last thing any RV camper needs to worry about because there are numerous parking options within the large park. Not only are there many parking lots within the park, but individual campsites can also accommodate RVs/trailers. Besides, overnight parking is available in the park.
Public Transportation
Public transportation services are available in the Page-Wahweap-Antelope Point areas of the park.
Campgrounds and parking in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Campsites in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Reservations camping
Hite Outpost RV & Campground
Hite Outpost RV & Campground features 35 pet-friendly campsites available for RVs, as well as primitive campsites. 14 campsites in the campground are equipped with full RV hookups (electric, water, and sewer hookups), while 21 campsites do not have hookups. All the campsites are reservable.
RV length limit at the campground is 40 feet. Showers, fire rings, grills, and picnic tables are available amenities in the campground. A fish cleaning station is on hand in the campground.
Halls Crossing RV & Campground
There are 41 pet-friendly campsites and 24 pull-through spaces that can accommodate RVs up to 60 feet long at Halls Crossing RV & Campground. The RV spaces within the campground are equipped with full RV hookups (electric, water and sewer hookups). The campsites in the campground are available on first-come, first-served basis only, but the RV spaces are reservable.
Dump station, restrooms, potable water, charcoal grills and tables, as well as hot and cold showers are available in the campground.
Bullfrog RV & Campground
Bullfrog RV & Campground features 78 pet-friendly campsites that can accommodate tents and RVs up to 50 feet long. Full hookup options (electric, water, and sewer hookups) are available in 24 campsites in the campground. Showers, restrooms, charcoal grills and tables are some of the amenities you’ll find.
RV length limit at the campground is 50 feet. Campsite reservations are accepted.
Wahweap RV & Campground
Various camping options are available at Wahweap RV & Campground for campers and visitors. 149 campsites in the campground are equipped with full RV hookups (electric, water and sewer hookups); 112 campsites without hookups, 36 campsites for tents only, and 6 group campsites. RV length limit at the campground is 40 feet.
Facilities in the campground include restrooms, dump station, potable water, laundry and showers. Each campsite is equipped with picnic tables and fire rings/grills. Pets are allowed.
Campsite reservations are accepted.
First-come first-served
Beehive Campground
Beehive Campground features 6 pet-friendly campsites that can accommodate RVs and tents. All the campsites are available on first-come, first-served basis only. RV length limit at the campground is 35 feet, and no hookups are available. The roads into the campground is dirt. There are picnic tables in each campsite, while restrooms and a dump station are located in the campground. Portable toilets are required for all campers.
Wildlife viewing opportunities are available and you can stay up to 3 days in Beehive Campground.
Lees Ferry Campground
Lees Ferry Campground features 51 pet-friendly campsites that can accommodate RVs and tents. All the campsites are available on first-come, first-served basis only, as no reservations are accepted. There are no RV hookups in the campground, however, amenities such as modern bathroom/comfort station and potable water are available in the campground. You can access a boat launch ramp within 2 miles of the campground. RV length limit at the campground is 35 feet.
Seasonal activities in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Spring
Kayaking
The geologic wonders of Glen Canyon NRA are best experienced by kayaking on Lake Powell. A variety of kayaking opportunities are available in the park, such as whitewater kayaking, downlake kayaking, uplake kayaking, and sea kayaking. These can take anything from a couple of hours to days meaning paddlers get to pick which one interests them.
While paddling, you are advised to have safety equipment including personal flotation device, emergency blanket, and high energy snack bars.
Kayak trails are also available in the park.
Hiking
Glen Canyon NRA offers a wide variety of hiking options to RV campers within the park, from quick strolls, to day hikes, and multi-day backpacking trips. Hikers who take walks in the park are exposed to amazing recreational opportunities along the trails that guarantee memorable experiences. Opportunities to explore the slickrock hills, many side canyons, and passageways through the washes in the park are among the top things that attract hikers to the park. Pets are allowed on the hiking trails.
All the trails in the park are not maintained, so hikers are advised to exercise caution. Moreover, you should bring plenty of water, because finding shade may be difficult.
Summer
Swimming
Lake Powell is well-known as a great swimming destination, particularly in summer. As a result, RV campers look forward to swimming in the lake whenever they are visiting Glen Canyon NRA. No lifeguards are on duty at the park, and neither are there designated swimming beaches in Lake Powell or on Colorado River. Consequently, safe swimming is recommended in the park. The boat launch areas and marinas in the park are closed to swimming as they pose safety threats to everyone in the water.
Fall
Boating/Canoeing
The most popular activity in Glen Canyon NRA, by far, is boating! The park attracts about two million boaters who visit Lake Powell to enjoy this water-based recreational activity.
Five marinas are available on Lake Powell, four of which are equipped with boat ramps for launching private boats. Public launch ramps are also available in the park in areas such as Antelope Point, Halls Crossing and Bullfrog.
If you wish to engage in boating at Glen Canyon NRA, you must carry all required equipment listed in federal and state regulations in your vessel. Safe boating practices in the park are also mandatory.
Fishing
Angling in Glen Canyon NRA is an activity that has long been popular among visitors and campers. Lake Powell in the park offers angling enthusiasts unbeatable experiences as abundant fish thrive in its clear waters. Measures are in place within the park to protect endangered fish species. However, that does not hinder recreational fishing pursuits by campers.
Fish species available in the park include crappie, largemouth and smallmouth bass, bluegill and channel catfish. You’ll be able to catch as many striped bass and walleye as you want, but there are limitations to the quantity of the other fishers that can be caught.
Winter
Birding
At Glen Canyon NRA, you’ll be able to watch birds in their various colors and sizes beat their wings and sing from your campsites, along the park’s trails, or at the backcountry sites.
There are 315 documented bird species in the park, a unique diversity enabled by the large open water habitat of Colorado River and the colonization of Lake Powell by aquatic and migrating riparian birds. What’s interesting to note about Glen Canyon NRA is that the park has a low breeding bird population, with only 80 confirmed native breeding species. Yet, the bird diversity is still very high. So, get you binoculars because you won’t get enough of the birds.
