Glen Canyon Nat'l Recreation Area

[Karl]

I saw some spectacular photos taken at Glen Canyon, but it's a very large area and the specific locations where not mentioned. Can anyone make recommendations as to where to go and what facilities for rv'ing (39' and toad) are nearby? Thanks!

 

[Shayne]

LOL Karl  you need to rephrase that question perhaps.  Cuz when I ask it everyone tells me where to go and it's always the same place.  LOL  Just had to throw this in 

 

[Karl]

Thanks Shayne,
I knew I could count on you to pick up and run with that!

 

[Sollly]

It is a big place, and one of my favorites. Generally you have two access points for RV camping. Bullfrog on the north central end and Page, AZ on the south end. Both places have several options for camping with an RV. Your best bet to see it is to rent a boat and go sightseeing or take a boat tour.

I have boated many years on Lake Powell.

I don't know what picture you are referring to, but I bet they resembled this:

 

[Jim Johnson]

Karl,

Tarry and I went to Bullfrog Basin a couple of years ago.  I had read that because of the low water level, over 100'if I remember correctly, that there were areas and things visible that had not been seen in years.  I had hoped to take a boat tour of the area.  When we got there we found that there were no tours, no boat rentals, no way to access the area other than right at the marina.  There is a 4-wheel road that leads back towards Torrey that Terry and Betty have driven.  We were there in May, nice campground but with no hookups of any kind.  At 10 PM it was 97 in the motorhome.  Needless to say, we did not stay very long.  I would try the Page area next if I went back.

 

[Sollly]

There are full hookups at Bullfrog. See link: http://www.lakepowell.com/campgrounds.php#rvparks.

Bullfrog is more remote than Wahweep. No close towns, but pretty much everything you need. Wahweep and Page are more touresty. More people also. Page is a nice little town with all amenities and more civilization if that's important to you.

The water is up now with all services available.

Yep, it gets hot also! I love it.

This will be the first year going there with A/C. I wonder how that will be? We will be boondocking at Stanto Creek. Not an option with a 39'er.

 

[John From Detroit]

Glenn Canyon.. Is that Lake Powell, near Page AZ.  The possible shots are too many to list but I will say this.

Head into town (Page) and there is a small office supply store which also sells tours  of Antelope Slot Canyon (And other places).

It was a great tour.  You want to make sure you got good batteries and lots of film, digital or otherwise.

The canyon is on the reservation so you can not go there unless you are a member of the tribe or with a native guide.

Page itself is an interesting place.. Originally a "Company town" It has grown when the company (The construction company which buiit the dam) moved on instead of becoming a ghost town as so often happens when a company moves on like that.

Oh yes, and you can get a dinner at the Dam Site Inn too (just around the corner from that office supply I mentioned)

 

[Karl]

Thanks for the info, all.
Sollly,
that's pretty much what I saw but more up close and personal. Probably shots taken on a walk-in. Will Bullfrog handle 39'? Don't really care about hook-ups; boondocking is fine, and Hercule, The Attack Cat, loves the solitude! ;D Don't want touristy things; just great views and clean air.

I'll check out the website and also John's comment about having to use an Indian guide. Not that I mind that, but I like to explore things on my own. No problem with batteries or memory cards, but thanks for the reminder. 

 

[Jim Dick]

Karl,

Take the trip to Antelope Canyon!!! I've seen many photos from there and only wish that I knew how close I was to it when we were in Page several years ago with the Nathans. It has to be one of the top two canyons in the country, perhaps the world. I'll bet if you Google it you'll want to go. ;D ;D

 

[Sollly]

Thanks for the info, all.
Sollly,
that's pretty much what I saw but more up close and personal. Probably shots taken on a walk-in. Will Bullfrog handle 39'? Don't really care about hook-ups; boondocking is fine, and Hercule, The Attack Cat, loves the solitude! ;D Don't want touristy things; just great views and clean air.

I'll check out the website and also John's comment about having to use an Indian guide. Not that I mind that, but I like to explore things on my own. No problem with batteries or memory cards, but thanks for the reminder. 

Karl,

If you want less touresty. I would stick with Bullfrog. Mind you. If you go on a busy weekend there will be lots of people. March, April and October are my favorite times to go. No people.

The Painted Hills RV park can handle rigs up to 50'. You could take your rig down to Stanton left fork. It is a gravel road however and you probably wouldn't get a very level spot that is to close to the water. You can hike to your hearts content along the shore. There are no slot canyons up near Bullfrog like Antelope. I would suggest renting a boat or a large stable PWC and do your own exploring.

You will definately get great views anywhere near Powell. If you have a toad, you can expand your sightseeing even further. I would be happy to answer any more specific questions you have. When are planning on going?

Rob

 

[Karl]

Jim and Rob,
Sounds like Antelope Canyon is the place to go! I do have a toad (finally, but that's another story), and don't mind dirt roads either as long as there's enough ground clearance. I'll do a little more research and get back with any questions. BTW, I don't like the touristy areas; much prefer the less trodden areas.

 

[Chet18013]

Karl,

Check this out--if you don't mind hiking a bit. you will be greatly rewarded. Coyote Buttes North is probably just as famous as Antelope Canyon. They only allow 20 people per day to hike into the Wave. You have to go the BLM office before 9:00AM the day before to put your name in the hat for the drawing for a pemitt.

https://www.blm.gov/az/arolrsmain.htm

You need to go to the BLM office on on 89, about 35 miles west of Page on 89. They can give you all the details. As Jim says, be sure and do Antelope Canyon. Also horseshoe bend is just south of Page. About a 1 mile hike, but well worth it.

Chet18013

 

[Wendy]

Bullfrog has two campgrounds....the concessionnaire operated RV park with hookups (don't remember the rate) and the NPS campground with HUGE, paved, nicely landscaped spaces but no hookups ($20/night if you don't have a Golden Age card, $10 with the GA card). There is also free boondocking camping at Bullfrog.

There is an NPS campground across the reservoir from Bullfrog at Halls Crossing that will most any size RV (it was closed in October when we were there due to flooding...don't know if it's reopened or not).

Wahweap, which is close to Page, Arizona (big town...has a Wal-Mart!!), has both a developed campground with hookups and an NPS, hookup-less campground. Either can handle large RVs.

The lake is way down but not as bad as it was a couple of years ago. It is nowhere near capacity and probably won't be so long as our Colorado draught continues (yes, it's snowing in Denver but that's on the wrong side of the mountains to help the Colorado River reservoirs).

Check nps.gov/glca for more info on the park.

Wendy
cold in Colorado and wondering why Jim didn't like the 95 degrees at Bullfrog??

 

[Karl]

Chet,
Thanks for the info on the "Wave". I'll definitely check it out!

Wendy, the concessionaire campgrounds (Aramark) charge $31/night and, hey, who needs hookups??

 

[Wendy]

hey, who needs hookups??

Exactly !

 

[Jim Dick]

Chet,

That's the other one I had in mind but couldn't remember the name. We're still looking for that info but haven't found it yet.

 

[Barb]

Karl,
check the NP web site.  If i remember right.  They are not open until April???????????/

Barb

 

[Wendy]

The concessionnaire website here http://www.lakepowell.com/campgrounds.php lists the size limit for most of their Glen Canyon campgrounds.

As far as I know, all the campgrounds are open year-round. The NPS visitor center at Bullfrog is closed in winter but the campground is open.

Forgot to mention the campground at Lone Rock....off 89, northwest of Page, beach camping with no designated campsites.

Wendy
cold and snowy in Cortez Colorado

 

[Karl]

Thanks Wendy,
Already determined they're open year 'round (except for visitor center(s)), but can't really find anything about boondocking sites. Everything on NPS refers you to Aramark-managed campgrounds. What am I doing wrong? :-\

 

[Wendy]

Here's a map of the Bullfrog area showing the primitive camping areas http://www.nps.gov/archive/glca/maps/bfmap2.gif

We've driven out to the Stanton Creek primitive area but never camped there. It's well marked. It used to be free but it looks like it's now $6 (http://www.nps.gov/glca/planyourvisit/feescamping.htm)

This website http://www.pagelakepowell.org/lake_powell/lakepowell_camp.php has a lot of information but some of it is dated and/or wrong. When we were at the campground at Bullfrog, it had gone up to $20 ($10 with Golden Age/Access). And it says "accomodates small to medium RVs"....shoot, you could park anything in there. The sites are concrete, long and wide...wide enough to put your RV on one side and your boat or toad next to it and still have room left over. And I saw at least one 35-footer in there with a boat and they were parked in a site without unhooking the boat trailer.

When are you headed that way? It's smegging cold in these parts, including Page and Lake Powell....snow again today here, low last night was -5, all the way up to 10 now.

Enjoy
Wendy