Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is a national recreation area run by the National Park Service in Arizona and Utah.

In the park service’s words

Encompassing over 1.25 million acres, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area offers unparalleled opportunities for water-based & backcountry recreation. The recreation area stretches for hundreds of miles from Lees Ferry in Arizona to the Orange Cliffs of southern Utah, encompassing scenic vistas, geologic wonders, and a vast panorama of human history.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Things to do

• Scramble down Cathedral Wash Trail (3 to 4 Hours): Follow Cathedral Wash trail as it climbs down to meet the Colorado River on its sandy bank. The 3 miles (4.8 km) round-trip challenging hike descend into the rocky wash, traveling through the Kaibab Limestone and Toroweap Formations of the Grand Canyon Group. Some rock scrambling required.
• From Your Boat To The Bridge (2 to 8 Hours): There is one designated trail within the boundaries of Rainbow Bridge National Monument. It runs the length of the monument, from the boat dock on one side, to the border with the Navajo Nation on the other. We ask that you stay on this trail when you visit Rainbow Bridge for your safety and out of respect for the loca
• Driving the Burr Trail (1 to 14 Days): Drive the scenic Burr Trail from Glen Canyon's Bullfrog district, along the bottom of Capitol Reef, through Grand Staircase, to Boulder, UT. Distance: 67 miles (108 km) one-way Mix of paved and dirt roads, impassable when wet Four-wheel drive sometimes required. No RVs.
• Swimming in Lake Powell: Swimming is a popular activity at Lake Powell, especially in the summer when water temperatures can surpass 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Please be aware that there are no life guards or officially designated swim beaches at Lake Powell or on the Colorado River. Water Quality conditions can change at your favorite swim areas.
• Day Trip or Backpack Hike to Coyote Gulch (1 to 14 Days): Open year-round but most popular in Spring and Fall, Coyote Gulch is a tributary of the Escalante River with several entry points for day hiking or backpacking in the Escalante Canyons of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Grand Staircase National Monument. This is a wilderness area, prepare to pack out everythin
• Off Road Vehicles in Glen Canyon: Off-road vehicle use is allowed in the park only on National Park Service-designated ORV routes and areas, delineated by ORV route maps. Some Shoreline Access Areas indicated on the maps may not be available seasonally, due to changes in lake level. Note: There are 388 miles of Designated Roads of which 304 miles are u
• Driving to Alstrom Point (4 to 48 Hours): Drive the semi-improved roads to Alstrom Point, in the southwest region of Glen Canyon National recreation Area along the border with Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument near Big Water, UT. Distance: 46 miles round-trip, about 4 hours if you do not stop to look at the scenery Mix of paved and dirt roads, impass
• Contemplate Your Place in the Landscape At The Big Map (1 to 120 Minutes): The Glen Canyon and Surrounding Area Relief Map sits in a place of honor at the Powell Museum & Archives next to Glen Canyon Conservancy's Flagship office. Use it to help plan your Glen Canyon adventure, or pretend you are in space looking down at the landscape. Whoa.

Fees and hours

Entrance fee: $30 per vehicle. The America the Beautiful pass covers it.

Hours: Open 24 hours, every day. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is open 24 hours per day, year-round. If there is not a person staffing the entrance station, you may pay your entrance fee at the automated fee machine. Launch ramps are open all day, unless closed due to low water.

Camping

Getting there

There are multiple districts in Glen Canyon very far away from each other. Avoid a two hundred mile detour and make sure you know which district you are going to before you begin travelling here.

Drive times run from the airport to Zion Canyon Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.

Miles are straight-line distances.

Visitor centers

• Escalante Interagency Visitor Center: Mon Closed; Tue 9:00AM - 4:00PM; Wed 9:00AM - 4:00PM; Thu 9:00AM - 4:00PM; Fri 9:00AM - 4:00PM; Sat 9:00AM - 4:00PM; Sun Closed. Open Tuesday-Saturday Closed Sunday-Monday and major holidays
• Carl Hayden Visitor Center: Daily, 9:00AM - 5:00PM. Hours beginning March 1: Daily 9am-5pm MST Hours beginning November 3: Daily 9am-4pm MST
• Bullfrog Visitor Center: Closed. Bullfrog Visitor Center is open seasonally.
• Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center: Daily, 9:00AM - 5:00PM. Open daily 9am-5pm MST March 2 - November 2 Open daily 9am-4pm MST November 3 - March 1
• Glen Canyon Conservancy Flagship: Mon 9:00AM - 5:00PM; Tue 9:00AM - 5:00PM; Wed 9:00AM - 5:00PM; Thu 9:00AM - 5:00PM; Fri 9:00AM - 5:00PM; Sat 9:00AM - 5:00PM; Sun Closed. The Flagship is open all year. Hours vary seasonally.
• [Halls Crossing Contact Station]()

Weather

The weather in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is usually typical for the high deserts. Summers are extremely hot with little, if any, shade. Winters are moderately cold with night time lows often below freezing. Spring weather is highly variable and unpredictable with extended periods of winds. Fall weather is usually nice and mild, a great time to beat the heat (and the crowds!).

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Know before you go

Drones are banned at almost every park site, and you may not take rocks, plants or artifacts. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet where they are allowed. Bring no firewood from home.

Nearby

The nearest national park is Bryce Canyon, about 58 miles away in a straight line.

Sources

• National Park Service Data API: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (public domain)
• Official website

Last checked 1 November 2026.