Advice for 1st time LP visitors

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stevenk2

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We're going to be heading down to the lake for the first time ever here in a couple of weeks, and was wondering if there is any advice out there for first-timers? We'll be tenting at Wahweap CG, and will be bringing down our Yamaha AR195. We're planning on spending a couple days on the water the time we're down there, but we'll also be doing a tour of Antelope Canyon and doing a UTV tour of the desert as well. The current plan is to trailer up after each day on the water, then run into Page for fuel and supplies in the early evening, returning to camp to relax and sleep.

We're going to explore Wahweap Bay, and since Castle Rock Cut is navigable, I'd like to head over to Warm Creek Bay as well. We have a fair amount of range with the AR195, so would there be any other areas we may want to explore? How far can we go around Antelope Island before we run into trouble? Is it better to go down by the dam then up that arm to go around Antelope Island, or is it better to go up the Warm Creek side/arm? Are there areas of the lake to stay away from?

Also, I'm not particular to Wahweap in terms of camping per se, it just seemed to be the logical choice in terms of size/facilities and proximity to Page (for supplies and fuel), especially for our first year. As we get more familiar with the area down there and all of the campgrounds/facilities, we're open to other options.

I realize that there's no possible way to explore the lake in just a few days on the water - we're just wanting to "get our feet wet" so to speak to get a feeling for what the lake is like down there. I'd like to make this our yearly summer vacation destination, this will be our inaugural year, with much more exploration to come in subsequent years.
 
Is the Antelope canyon tour by tour boat, or up to the Indian reservation to hike? If it’s the tour boat, I would skip it. You’ll be able to see lots of canyons on a more intimate level with the ski boat.

GET A MAP!!!! I prefer the laminated Stan Jones, but get a map

If you have a tent and coolers, I’d be more inclined to beach camp somewhere up Lahr and not trailer the boat everyday. If fuel is a concern, try camping closer to Dangling Rope (about MM 45), but dont count on a lot of food supplies there.

We camped in our boat for a week in Dungeon, just a few miles from Dangling Rope, with a tent as back up if it rained.

Watching the sunset and ride, and sleeping under the stars is part of the magic of Powell.

If beach camping isn’t an option- consider a slip for the speedboat. Yes gas at the marina is a premium, but it’s nice not to have to launch & retrieve daily. We’ve “hotel camped” and done it many times, but I’d rather beach camp

As for Antelope island, with the cut open you can navigate all around it. The online map from Fred’s liquor will let you do some pre-arrival planning.

Fred's Guide to Lake Powell - Maps

Fred's Guide provides maps of all the bays and canyons of Lake Powell
fredsliquorstore.com fredsliquorstore.com


Last Chance and Rock Creek provide miles of finger canyons to explore.

Give the posters a few more specifics about preferred activities, skiing, wake boarding, fishing, hiking, or exploring by boat and or ages of your group, you will get more feedback specific to your interests
 
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PowellBride said:
Is the Antelope canyon tour by tour boat, or up to the Indian reservation to hike? If it’s the tour boat, I would skip it. You’ll be able to see lots of canyons on a more intimate level with the ski boat.
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It's the hiking tour - we wanted to see those incredible slot canyons in person, even if it's in a tour group. Anything we see on the water will be in our own boat.

PowellBride said:
If you have a tent and coolers, I’d be more inclined to beach camp somewhere up Lahr and not trailer the boat everyday. If fuel is a concern, try camping closer to Dangling Rope (about MM 45), but dont count on a lot of food supplies there.

We camped in our boat for a week in Dungeon, just a few miles from Dangling Rope, with a tent as back up if it rained.
Click to expand...

I'd love to try boat-in camping, but I need to get the right equipment & supplies first. This year the campground or a hotel were the only real options, next year will be a different story. It sounds like in order to get the full experience, we really need to try that though.

As far as the rest goes, it's just two of us this trip, so it'll just be exploring and some swimming/floating this time around. Next year, it's likely we'll have a larger group where we can do more in the way of watersports like wakesurfing and tubing. My main thing this year was to scope things out and maybe go see any "don't miss" kind of things close to Wahweap. I'll get a map for sure, then we can see where Lahr, Dangling Rope, Last Chance
and Rock Creek are in terms of proximity to where we'll be at during the week.

Are there any restrictions going around Antelope Island at all, or are we free to boat all the way around it? Seems like I was reading somewhere that part of the waterway in and around there was restricted access due to it being part of the Navajo reservation. Also, looks like it's about 20 miles round trip around the island (starting at Wahweap Bay, heading south towards the dam) then back across Castle Rock Cut - is that accurate?
 
After a quick look at a review of your boat, you can be much more ambitious in your lake exploration than you described in your post. Check out Antelope Canyon, Navajo Canyon, Face Canyon and/or West Canyon. Regulations prohibit beach camping without a potty or within a short distance to the floating comfort stations, so camping at Wahweap may be your best bet for maiden trip. I suggest that you pick up a handheld VHF radio to get weather forecasts on WX 1 and to make the unlikely emergency call on Ch 16. Remember the 1/3 fuel rule: 1/3 out, 1/3 back, 1/3 reserve; important on the biggest lake you will ever navigate. Stay oriented on your map and watch for white/light green water indicating shallow water. Enjoy the excitement and adventure of your first Powell trip, you'll never forget it!
 
No restrictions on where you boat. I wouldn't go around Antelope Island. The scenic areas and canyons are up lake. Go through the Castle Rock Cut, into Warm Creek Bay. The east end of WCB merges with the main channel where it's a relatively narrow channel for a few miles before it opens up in Gunsight and Padre Bay. Check the online maps. There are navigation aids (bouys) marking the main channel. "Red, right, returning" Returning means going up river and keep the red bouys on your right, green to your left; opposite sides coming down lake.
 
Thanks, Trix!! We'll go through Warm Creek Bay and further east from there. Sounds like the channel getting there will be really neat, but we're looking forward to seeing all of it.

I've already stocked the boat with a bunch of stuff (tool + first aid kits, spare parts, etc), and I've got a small tablet with Navionics installed, but I need to pick up a regular paper map of the lake and a handheld VHF radio. Any recommendations for the radio?
 
stevenk2 said:
Thanks, Trix!! We'll go through Warm Creek Bay and further east from there. Sounds like the channel getting there will be really neat, but we're looking forward to seeing all of it.

I've already stocked the boat with a bunch of stuff (tool + first aid kits, spare parts, etc), and I've got a small tablet with Navionics installed, but I need to pick up a regular paper map of the lake and a handheld VHF radio. Any recommendations for the radio?
Click to expand...
The best place I have found to get VHF radios is " The GPS Store" and the have a sale going on right now. Some of the handheld radios have a cash rebate with them. Sq
 
No particular recommendations on brand of VHF. Can't remember what I have and we are in San Diego for a month. Be sure it can operate on regular batteries, not just only on rechargeable, and carry spares.
 
Second to a map, ageee with Trix, get a hand held radio. Powell doEs. Or have dependable cell service.

If you have a day with bad weather forecasted, that the day I would do Wahweap to the dam, and then to Antelope point Marina. Antelope point can be fun to cruise and see all the million dollar houseboats and they have a nice restaurant on the water. The dam is cool, but the downriver side is much more impressive than what you see from the lake.

Being a north ender, I struggle with Padre Bay, easy to get turned around in. Map is critical. I agree with Trix, you can be more adventurous than your original plan outlined. I loved cruising Last Chance. If your gas mileage allows, do Dangling Rope 1 day. The marina has no land access, totally supplied by barges from Wahweap. Cruise up, see a few canyons on the way (cruising a canyon at idle doesn’t use much gas) have an ice cream cone or float, and cruise back.

I’d even go so far as to pack your sleeeping bags and some spare food. If it’s the right day and weather, just anchor the boat onshore and sleep in the boat for 1 night.
 
Biggest "warning" I have is be careful of what are called "whales" Big humps of rock coming up to bite the bottom of your boat! IF THE WATER TURNS YELLOW - SHUT'ER DOWN QUICK BECAUSE YOU'RE GETTING SHALLOW AND ABOUT TO RUN AGROUND!
This can happen way out in the middle of big bays or in narrow channels. And it can happen quick.
I've towed several ski boats back to the marina with the bottom scraped clean.
Just be careful and don't run after dark if you can avoid it.
 
I'm sure Steven knows his fuel range, but for the fun of discussion, Boattest.com tested the AR195 with mpg just a shade under 3 at cruising of 26 mph. With its 40 gallon tank, they have 90 mile range, so they could easily run up to Dangling Rope, about 42 miles, for a Dangling Dog, ice cream and top off of really cheap gas.
 
Trix said:
I'm sure Steven knows his fuel range, but for the fun of discussion, Boattest.com tested the AR195 with mpg just a shade under 3 at cruising of 26 mph. With its 40 gallon tank, they have 90 mile range, so they could easily run up to Dangling Rope, about 42 miles, for a Dangling Dog, ice cream and top off of really cheap gas.
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🤪🤪🤪 Really cheap gas! They can also buy some of those pre-melted ice cubes from the ice vending machine.
 
Trix said:
I'm sure Steven knows his fuel range, but for the fun of discussion, Boattest.com tested the AR195 with mpg just a shade under 3 at cruising of 26 mph. With its 40 gallon tank, they have 90 mile range, so they could easily run up to Dangling Rope, about 42 miles, for a Dangling Dog, ice cream and top off of really cheap gas.
Click to expand...
Good advice and in doing the fuel consumption math, it would seem that 3 mpg x 40 gal. Would be about 120 mile range. But as Trix stated remember the 1/3 rule. If the wind kicks up andyou have to start plowing water with the bow up you're fuel consumption can go way up to maybe as bad as 1.5 mpg thus the reason to plan on 1/3 a tank of fuel safety net. 30 miles up lake with a half hour of daylight left and no fuel adds up to the closest beach you can find for the night.
 
I would make a few changes to your plan. Going around antelope island will not be as grand as getting uplake. Staying at Wahweap will certainly take away all the logistics and scouting and pressures for an overnight camp, but camping on the shore of Powell will be massively more fun than Wahweap camp ground. I would not trailer the boat each night - rent a slip at Wahweap 928-645-1000. You have a fun event list, the hike will be awesome as I’m sure the desert trek will be too. I would try to schedule all non boat events on the same day to allow as much time on water as possible, do the desert 4x4 in the morning for cooler temps. A $20 beach umbrella and a couple of folding chairs will give you comfort and shade sitting on a beach. Take a free slot hike at the end of labyrinth (right at 17). Hike to cookie jar overlook from Kane creek (left at 22). If you go to dangling rope definitely get an ice cream and top the tanks, also enjoy a trip down wetherill and see if you can spot keystone arch. Be aware of afternoon winds, have provisions for waiting it out - food and water. Stay away from the tour boat wake. Don’t rush it, if you find the perfect spot, just make that your destination and enjoy it. A Map is an absolute. Take two extra gas cans if worried of running out, 10 gallons will usually get you to a pump. Only the main channel has buoys, side canyons don’t. When going uplake keep the red buoys on your right, on the way back to Wahweap keep green buoys on your right. Be safe.
 
Just read your boat specs. You can do much more than around antelope. Head out on a clear day and make dangling rope your quest. Head out over the cut to warm creek and miss most of the hard rough water (Maytag straights) which is around antelope. Turn left down the main channel may get a bit rough from warm creek to the entrance of gunsight but then the water rally calms down. head into face, west go up to cookie jar. Then back to the main channel to Rock creek. Head into the famous cave at rock creek. Then back to the main channel and over to dangling rope. Gas up there and get some of that award winning ice cream and bring a lunch. Maybe you can beach the boat at the end of rock creek or dungeon and enjoy a picnic.

The most beautiful area of the lake, in my opinion is padrebay and up to the Escalante.

For some other ideas check out our lake Powell blog. More houseboat oriented but will give you some ideas. https://dooleyatlakepowell.weebly.com/

Hope you have a blast.
 
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All I have to say is WOW...……y'all have a lot of GREAT thoughts and ideas for what all to do out there!! We'll be on the water for 2 (non-consecutive) days total, so we'll do our best to see absolutely everything we can that you all listed in your posts. Keep in mind that Powell will likely be a yearly summer vacation destination for us, so we'll have opportunities to explore more in the future. I think that we'll keep our destinations and expectations relatively modest this first year so we can get our bearings and become a bit more comfortable with the lake and surrounding areas. I'm not opposed to spending a bunch of time exploring this year, but I also want to be sure to take some time to relax, take plenty of dips in the water, and generally take time to soak it all in. Two days on the water won't be enough, not by a long shot - when we're back at work the following week, we're already gonna want to come back again, I guarantee it. We're also really looking forward to the Ken's Antelope Canyon and Epic Adventures UTV sunset tours we'll be taking while we're down there as well - we wanted to experience some of the other stuff in the area besides the lake while we're down there.

I think while we're on the water, we'll need to keep our eyes open for beaches that look optimal for boat-in camping, then next year when we're down, we can give that a shot (and/or sleeping on the boat). As I said, we're not fully equipped at this point to be able to do that type of camping, but we can prep for that and be ready next summer.

For now, I need to hop onto Google maps and start checking out some of the areas everyone mentioned above...…..... 😁
 
Jeez, you guys weren't kidding about the "cheap" fuel at Dangling Rope Marina...……..I guess it's not that much worse than any other gas on the water that we've run into though, even up here where we live. I think we paid a bit over $5 bucks a gallon over at the marina on Lake Billy Chinook in Central Oregon last time we were there.
 
stevenk2 said:
Jeez, you guys weren't kidding about the "cheap" fuel at Dangling Rope Marina...……..I guess it's not that much worse than any other gas on the water that we've run into though, even up here where we live. I think we paid a bit over $5 bucks a gallon over at the marina on Lake Billy Chinook in Central Oregon last time we were there.
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Not kidding about the pre-melted ice either. You’ll see what I mean when you purchase ice in the middle of the day from one of the “convenient” self-serve machines.

You will love it all. Enjoy
 
One thing- don't really plan on finding any 'beach" you see this year, next year. As the lake level changes so do the beaches. In fact, for the past few weeks the water level has changed about 1 foot up each day. This lake goes up and down every year and you never know what level it will be at for next year. Its a new hunt for beaches every year.
 
Cliff said:
Biggest "warning" I have is be careful of what are called "whales" Big humps of rock coming up to bite the bottom of your boat! IF THE WATER TURNS YELLOW - SHUT'ER DOWN QUICK BECAUSE YOU'RE GETTING SHALLOW AND ABOUT TO RUN AGROUND!
This can happen way out in the middle of big bays or in narrow channels. And it can happen quick.
I've towed several ski boats back to the marina with the bottom scraped clean.
Just be careful and don't run after dark if you can avoid it.
Click to expand...
Is there a boat ramp anywhere up closer to PADRE BAY ? I HAVE A 18ft RANGER BASS BOAT and it is so far to run up there in my boat any recommendations? THANKS
 
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