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Utah Travel Headlines

Friday, June 30, 2006

Lake Powell and Rainbow Bridge

Conditions are excellent for boating, camping and fishing at Lake Powell this summer.

The lake’s surface is now 3610.48 feet above sea level, up a few feet over last year. The lake’s level apparently peaked at 3610.85 a few days ago. It is holding fairly steady now but will drop a little through the summer and fall.

You can boat close to Rainbow Bridge, the most popular attraction at Lake Powell, but you still have to hike a short distance to get right up under it. This video clip features the massive natural bridge (flash video, 3.66M).

All major marinas and boat ramps are open and in good shape. No launching problems are expected this season.

The ramp at Hite is still officially closed but small boats are being launched at the owners risk. Road base was spread below the concrete ramp during the low water years. Now the lake has risen and covered that base. However, clay under the road base is sticky and even 4X4s get stuck occasionally if they have to back very far into the water.

The lake level is not yet high enough to allow launching at Farley Canyon or any of the primitive sites.

The Castle Rock Cutoff connecting Wahweap with Warm Creek Bay is still unusable. Boaters hoped the lake would rise enough to allow boats to use that shortcut, but it appears that will not happen this year.

The lake has now settled into its summer pattern, with warm water and hot air temperatures. Conditions are great for skiing and other water sports.

Fishing is good now and will become very good within a few weeks, when striped bass begin to feed on the surface (usually that action begins in mid or late July). See this website for the latest fishing report.

2 Comments:

  • At 12:32 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I have got to get my family out to Lake Powell one of these days. I've heard nothing but awesome things about it from folks who have been there...

    Hopefully next suumer.

     
  • At 7:48 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said…

    I have been to lake powell it is the coolest place to go. I go there every summer it never gets old. My family looks forward to it every summer.

     

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