Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
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.
Alerts
- ClosureNPS ↗Launch Ramp Updates
Lake level changes will influence the functionality of all launch ramps. Find updated status of all launch ramps at the link.
- CautionNPS ↗Lees Ferry Campground Partial Closure
The upper loop of the Lees Ferry Campground is closed for renovations. Large equipment will be paving at the Lees Ferry campground. Do not enter construction area.
- CautionNPS ↗Lake Powell Recreational Water Advisory
Any time that you do recreational activities (swimming, water skiing, making sand castles, etc.) on the beaches or in the waters of Lake Powell you are strongly encouraged to follow basic hygiene practices. A number of conditions can cause potential water quality issues on Lake Powell, at Lees Ferry, and on Colorado River tributaries.
Fees & passes
| Type | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Private VehicleAdmits one single, private, non-commercial vehicle and all its passengers. | $30 | |
| MotorcycleValid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. | $25 | |
| Per PersonAdmits one individual when entering on foot or bicycle. Individuals 15 years of age and younger are admitted free. | $15 | |
| Education/Academic GroupsAcademic fee waivers must be submitted and returned before you visit Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. | Free | |
| Commercial tours · by vehicle capacity | ||
| VanFees are assessed based on the passenger capacity of the vehicle. Pass is only valid for the same group to which it was issued. | $40 | |
| Mini-busFees are assessed based on the passenger capacity of the vehicle. Pass is only valid for the same group to which it was issued. | $40 | |
| Motor CoachFees are assessed based on the passenger capacity of the vehicle. Pass is only valid for the same group to which it was issued. | $100 | |
| Passes | ||
| Annual Entrance - ParkAnnual pass is a card signed for and held by the owner. Allows unlimited entry for cardholder and everyone in that person's private vehicle to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area for 12 months from date of purchase. Does not cover vessel expanded amenity fee. | $55 | |
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area currently charges $30 per week per passenger vehicle and an expanded amenity fee for motorized vessels. While Horseshoe Bend Overlook is located in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, the parking lot is located in the City of Page. They do not accept America the Beautiful or Glen Canyon passes for parking.
Hours
| Glen Canyon Open Hours | Daily · All Day |
When to go
June draws the most visits here and January the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Campgrounds
| Wahweap Campground & RV Park | 266 sites | |
| Open year-round. Not operated by the National Park Service. Make reservations at www.lakepowell.com · Books through lakepowell.com | ||
| Bullfrog RV & Campground | 98 sites | |
| Open year-round. Not operated by the National Park Service. Make reservations at www.lakepowell.com · Books through lakepowell.com | ||
| Halls Crossing RV & Campground | 72 sites | |
| Open year-round. Not operated by the National Park Service. Make reservations at www.lakepowell.com · Books through lakepowell.com | ||
| Lees Ferry Campground | 54 sites | |
| $26 a night · 54 designated sites. No hookups. RV dump station. Grills provided, no open fires. Quiet time 10pm-6am. · Books through pay.gov | ||
| Lone Rock Beach Primitive Camping Area ↗ | · | |
| $14 a night · Primitive camping is on a sandy beach or in dunes. No designated campsites. Open fires permitted, must be within four foot squared area. Quiet time 10pm-6am. · Books through pay.gov | ||
Show all 11 campgroundsHide
| Stanton Creek Primitive Camping Area ↗ | · | |
| $12 a night · Primitive camping area. Enter and exit at your own risk. · Books through pay.gov | ||
| Beehives Primitive Campground | 21 sites | |
| $14 a night · Primitive camping area. Open all day, every day. If there is no one at the fee station, pay at the automatic machine. · Books through pay.gov | ||
| Dirty Devil Primitive Camping Area | Campsite Atlas → | |
| $12 a night · Primitive camping available all year. · Books through pay.gov | ||
| Farley Canyon Primitive Camping Area | Campsite Atlas → | |
| $12 a night · Designated primitive camping areas that are accessible by vehicle and sometimes by vessel as well. First-come first served, no reservations. · Books through pay.gov | ||
| Colorado River Primitive Camping Between Glen Canyon Dam and Lees Ferry | 5 sites | |
| These dispersed campsites are first-come first served. · 5 first-come | ||
| Antelope Point RV Park | 104 sites | |
| Check-in 1pm, check-out 11am. Quiet time 10pm - 6am. · Books through roverpass.com | ||
Every campground here has its own page on Campsite Atlas, with site counts, hookups, rig limits and booking windows. All of them on one page → How park camping works
Visitor centers
- Escalante Interagency Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
This center is jointly run by Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (Bureau of Land Management), Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (National Park Service), and Dixie National Forest (National Forest Service).
- Carl Hayden Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
Main visitor center for Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Rainbow Bridge National Monument. Exhibits about recreation and historic water use. Tours of Glen Canyon Dam are closed. Movies in auditorium. Store operated by Glen Canyon Conservancy.
- Bullfrog Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
Open seasonally. Exhibits relating to geology and the human and natural history of Glen Canyon, including a life-size model of a slot canyon! Ancestral Puebloan and pioneer artifacts. Restrooms are located 24/7 on the outside of the building near the front entrance.
- Navajo Bridge Interpretive Center ↗Passport stamp
Bookstore, outdoor exhibits, and self guided walks across the historic Navajo Bridge. This is a popular spot to look for California Condors.
- Glen Canyon Conservancy Flagship ↗Passport stamp
An official visitor center for the state of Arizona, and acting as Glen Canyon's supplementary visitor center in Page AZ, the Flagship office and retail store is a great place to start your Glen Canyon adventure.
- Halls Crossing Contact Station
A small cabin at the Halls Crossing marina. Exhibits about aquatic invasive species, boating, and Lake Powell history.
Explore
Things to do
- Scramble down Cathedral Wash Trail3-4 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…
Opens on the Park Service site - From Your Boat To The Bridge2-8 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.
Opens on the Park Service site - Driving the Burr Trail1-14 Days
Drive the scenic Burr Trail from Glen Canyon's Bullfrog district, along the bottom of Capitol Reef, through Grand Staircase, to Boulder, UT.
Opens on the Park Service site - Swimming in Lake Powell
Swimming is a popular activity at Lake Powell, especially in the summer when water temperatures can surpass 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
Opens on the Park Service site - Day Trip or Backpack Hike to Coyote Gulch1-14 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…
Opens on the Park Service site - 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.
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 12Hide
- Driving to Alstrom Point4-48 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.
Opens on the Park Service site - Contemplate Your Place in the Landscape At The Big Map1-120 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.
Opens on the Park Service site - Driving the Hole in the Rock Road1-14 Days
The Hole-in-the-Rock road is an historic pioneer trail turned path to adventure. This 62 mile (100 km) one-way section runs from Escalante, UT to the western edge of Lake Powell.
Opens on the Park Service site - Lonely Dell Ranch Historic Site1-8 Hours
Hidden between the shade of trees near the muddy Paria River sits Lonely Dell Ranch. This historic site was once home to those who operated the river crossing at Lees Ferry.
Opens on the Park Service site - Lake Powell Shoreline Primitive Camping1-14 Days
"Backcountry" Shoreline camping on Lake Powell can range from toughing out the desert winter from your kayak to "roughing it" in a multimillion dollar houseboat and any level of camping/glamping in between.
Opens on the Park Service site - Take a stroll to Horseshoe Bend Overlook1-8 Hours
Below the rim, the Colorado River makes a wide sweep around a sandstone escarpment. Here at Horseshoe Bend, the Colorado River created a roughly 1,000 foot (305 m) deep, 270º horseshoe-shaped bend in Glen Canyon.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Webcams
Camera images load live from the National Park Service and partner agencies
News
- Lake Powell Access: What Visitors Need to Know Through 2026 ↗2026-09-15
NPS is making enhancements and planning additional improvements at Stateline, Bullfrog, and Antelope Point within Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
- Babylon Fire Response Impacts on Lake Powell ↗2026-07-07
As part of ongoing response efforts to the Babylon Fire, fire suppression aircraft will be scooping water from Lake Powell between Good Hope Bay and Castle Butte to refill tanks as part of ongoing firefighting…
- Enjoy Lake Powell This Season – Plan Ahead for Changing Water Levels ↗2026-04-17
Use caution on Lake Powell this season as low water levels create rapidly changing conditions. Boaters are encouraged to plan ahead and stay informed before and during their visit.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
On the National Register nearby
- Navajo Steel Arch Highway BridgeStructure · Lee's Ferry · 11.5 mi
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for Arizona's national parks and the Southwest
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthCalifornia Condor 8× · Greater Roadrunner 2× · Bighorn Sheep 1× · Osprey 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 299 birds, 57 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Barn Owl · Burrowing Owl · California Condor · Cooper's Hawk · Ferruginous Hawk · Golden Eagle · Great Horned Owl · Long-eared Owl · Merlin · Northern Harrier · Northern Pygmy-owl · Northern Saw-whet Owl · Osprey · Peregrine Falcon · Prairie Falcon · Red-shouldered Hawk · Red-tailed Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Spotted Owl · Swainson's Hawk · Turkey Vulture
Waterfowl & wadersAmerican Coot · American White Pelican · American Wigeon · Barrow's Goldeneye · Black-crowned Night-Heron · Blue-winged Teal · Brown Pelican · Bufflehead · Canada Goose · Cattle Egret · Cinnamon Teal · Clark's Grebe · Common Goldeneye · Common Loon · Common Merganser · Double-crested Cormorant · Eared Grebe · Eurasian Wigeon · Great Blue Heron · Great Egret · Greater Scaup · Greater White-fronted Goose · Green Heron · Green-winged Teal · Hooded Merganser · Horned Grebe · Lesser Scaup · Little Blue Heron · Long-tailed duck · Northern Pintail · Pacific Loon · Pied-billed Grebe · Red-breasted Merganser · Red-necked Grebe · Ring-necked Duck · Ruddy Duck · Snow Goose · Snowy Egret · Trumpeter Swan · Tundra Swan · Viginia Rail · Western Grebe · White-faced Ibis · Wood Duck · Yellow-billed Loon
Shorebirds & seabirdsAmerican Avocet · American Golden Plover · Baird's Sandpiper · Black Tern · Black-bellied Plover · Bonaparte's Gull · California Gull · Caspian Tern · Common Tern · Dunlin · Forster's Tern · Franklin's Gull · Greater Yellowlegs · Herring Gull · Killdeer · Least Sandpiper · Lesser Yellowlegs · Long-billed Curlew · Long-billed Dowitcher · Marbled Godwit · Mew Gull · Pectoral Sandpiper · Red Phalarope · Red-necked Phalarope · Ring-billed Gull · Sabine's Gull · Sanderling · Semipalmated Plover · Semipalmated Sandpiper · Short-billed Dowitcher · Snowy Plover · Solitary Sandpiper · Spotted Sandpiper · Stilt Sandpiper · Western Sandpiper · Willet · Wilson's Phalarope · Yellow-footed Gull
Gamebirds & dovesCommon-ground Dove · Eurasian Collared Dove · Inca Dove · Mourning Dove · Rock Dove · White-winged Dove · Wild Turkey
WoodpeckersAcorn Woodpecker · Downy Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Lewis's Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Red-naped Sapsucker · Williamson's Sapsucker · Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftsBlack-chinned Hummingbird · Broad-tailed Hummingbird · Calliope Hummingbird · Costa's Hummingbird · Rufous Hummingbird · Vaux's Swift · White-throated Swift · magnificent hummingbird
Also on the checklistAmerican Crow · American Dipper · American Goldfinch · American Pipit · American Redstart · American Robin · American Tree Sparrow · Arctic Skua · Ash-throated Flycatcher · Baltimore Oriole · Bank Swallow · Barn Swallow · Bell's Vireo · Belted Kingfisher · Bewick's Wren · Black Phoebe · Black Rosy-Finch · Black-and-White Warbler · Black-chinned Sparrow · Black-headed Grosbeak · Black-necked Stilt · Black-tailed Gnatcatcher · Black-throated Blue Warbler · Black-throated Gray Warbler · Black-throated Sparrow · Blue Jay · Blue-gray Gnatcatcher · Bobolink · Bohemian Waxwing · Brewer's Blackbird · Brewer's Sparrow · Brown Creeper · Brown Thrasher · Brown-headed Cowbird · Budgerigar · Bullock's Oriole · Bushtit · Canvasback · Canyon Wren · Cassin's Finch · Cassin's Kingbird · Cassin's Vireo · Cedar Waxwing · Chesnut-collared Longspur · Chipping Sparrow · Chukar · Clark's Nutcracker · Clay-colored Sparrow · Cliff Swallow · Common Gallinule · Common Grackle · Common Nighthawk · Common Poorwill · Common Raven · Common Yellowthroat · Cordilleran Flycatcher · Crissal Thrasher · Dark-eyed Junco · Dickcissel · Dusky Flycatcher · Eastern Kingbird · Eastern Phoebe · European Starling · Evening Grosbeak · Fox Sparrow · Gadwall · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Golden-crowned Sparrow · Grasshopper Sparrow · Gray Catbird · Gray Flycatcher · Gray Vireo · Great-tailed Gackle · Greater Roadrunner · Green-tailed Towhee · Hammond's Flycatcher · Harris's Sparrow · Hermit Thrush · Hermit Warbler · Hooded Oriole · Horned Lark · House Finch · House Sparrow · House Wren · Indigo Bunting · Juniper Titmouse · Lark Bunting · Lark Sparrow · Lazuli Bunting · Least Flycatcher · Lesser Goldfinch · Lesser Nighthawk · Lincoln's Sparrow · Loggerhead Shrike · Lucy's Warbler · MacGillvray's Warbler · Mallard · Marsh Wren · Mountain Bluebird · Mountain Chickadee · Nashville Warbler · Northern Goshawk · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Northern Shoveler · Northern Shrike · Northern Waterthrush · Olive-sided Flycatcher · Orange-Crowned Warbler · Phainopepla · Pine Siskin · Pinyon Jay · Plumbeous Vireo · Prairie Warbler · Prothonotary Warbler · Purple Martin · Pygmy Nuthatch · Red Crossbill · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-eyed Vireo · Red-winged Blackbird · Redhead · Rock Wren · Rose-breasted Grosbeak · Ross's Gosse · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Rufous-crowned Sparrow · Sage Thrasher · Savannah Sparrow · Say's Phoebe · Scarlet Tanager · Scissor-tailed Flycatcher · Scott's Oriole · Song Sparrow · Sora · Spotted Towhee · Steller's Jay · Summer Tanager · Surf Scoter · Swamp Sparrow · Tennessee Warbler · Townsend's Solitaire · Townsend's Warbler · Tree Swallow · Varied Thrush · Vermilion Flycatcher · Vesper Sparrow · Violet-green Swallow · Virginia's Warbler · Warbling Vireo · Western Bluebird · Western Kingbird · Western Meadowlark · Western Tanager · Western Wood-pewee · Whimbrel · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-crowned Sparrow · White-eyed vireo · White-throated Sparrow · White-winged Scoter · Willow Flycatcher · Wilson's Warbler · Winter Wren · Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay · Worm-Eating Warbler · Yellow-billed Cuckoo · Yellow-breasted Chat · Yellow-headed Blackbird · Yellow-rumped Warbler
Small mammalsAmerican Beaver · Audubon's Cottontail · Black-tailed Jack Rabbit · Botta's Pocket Gopher · Brush Deermouse · Bushy-tailed Woodrat · Canyon Deermouse · Colorado chipmunk · Columbia Plateau Pocket Mouse · Crawford's Gray Shrew · Deer Mouse · Desert Woodrat · Little Pocket Mouse · Long-tailed Pocket Mouse · Mexican Woodrat · Northern Grasshopper Mouse · Ord's Kangaroo Rat · Piñon Deermouse · Plains Pocket Mouse · Rock Pocket Mouse · Rock Squirrel · Silky Pocket Mouse · Spotted Ground Squirrel · Stephen's Woodrat · Western Harvest Mouse · White-tailed Antelope Squirrel · White-throated Woodrat · cliff chipmunk · common porcupine
PredatorsAmerican Badger · American Black Bear · Bobcat · Common Gray Fox · Coyote · Cross Fox · Long-tailed Weasel · Ringtail · Striped Skunk · Western Spotted Skunk
Hoofed mammalsBighorn Sheep · Mule Deer · elk
BatsAllen's Big-eared Bat · Big Brown Bat · Big Free-tailed Bat · Brazilian Free-tailed Bat · California Myotis · Fringed Myotis · Long-eared Myotis · Long-legged Myotis · Pallid Bat · Pinto Bat · Small-footed Myotis · Western Pipistrelle · Yuma Myotis · mule-eared bat
Also on the checklistCatamount
Activities
Activity guides for this park Camping in the national parks · Canoeing and kayaking in the national parks · Fishing in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Stargazing in the national parks
Weather & climate
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!).
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Glen Canyon?
Entrance is $30 per private vehicle, $25 per motorcycle, and $15 per person on foot or bike. Admits one single, private, non-commercial vehicle and all its passengers.
Source: National Park Service
Which passes work at Glen Canyon?
The $80 America the Beautiful pass covers the entrance fee here, and a Glen Canyon-only annual pass is $55.
Source: Is the pass worth it
Can I pay the entrance fee in cash?
No. Glen Canyon takes cards only at the entrance.
Source: National Park Service
When is entrance to Glen Canyon free?
Next on October 27, Theodore Roosevelt's birthday. 2 fee-free days are left this year, for US residents only.
Source: Free entrance days
Do I need a reservation to enter Glen Canyon?
No. There is no timed-entry or entrance reservation at Glen Canyon. Camping and some tours have their own reservations.
Source: National Park Service
Is Glen Canyon open year-round?
Yes. The grounds are open 24 hours a day, year-round.
Source: National Park Service
Can I camp in Glen Canyon?
Yes. The Park Service lists 11 campgrounds in Glen Canyon: Wahweap Campground & RV Park, Bullfrog RV &, Halls Crossing RV &, Lees Ferry, and Lone Rock Beach Primitive Camping Area, and more. 4 take reservations through Recreation.gov; 5 are first-come, first-served.
Which Glen Canyon campgrounds have showers, hookups, or a dump station?
Showers: Wahweap Campground & RV Park, Bullfrog RV &, Lone Rock Beach Primitive Camping Area, and Antelope Point RV Park. Dump station: Wahweap Campground & RV Park, Bullfrog RV &, Halls Crossing RV &, Lees Ferry, Lone Rock Beach Primitive Camping Area, and Antelope Point RV Park. Electric hookups: Wahweap Campground & RV Park, Bullfrog RV &, Halls Crossing RV &, and Antelope Point RV Park.
Source: Campgrounds
Do camping fees at Glen Canyon include the entrance fee?
No. Camping is charged per night on top of the entrance fee or a pass; Lees Ferry is $26 a night.
Source: Campgrounds
Do Glen Canyon campgrounds book through Recreation.gov?
Not all of them. Wahweap Campground & RV Park, Bullfrog RV &, Halls Crossing RV &, and Lees Ferry take reservations through lakepowell.com, pay.gov, and roverpass.com.
Source: Campgrounds
Is anything closed at Glen Canyon right now?
3 active alerts as of October 14, 2026: Lees Ferry Campground Partial Closure; Lake Powell Recreational Water Advisory; and more.
Source: Alerts
How busy is Glen Canyon?
3,729,502 recreation visits in 2025, number 23 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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