October 2, 2026
A few posts back we discussed the largest reservoir in the United States, Lake Mead, created by the Hoover Dam. Up the Colorado River before it flows through the Grand Canyon is the second largest reservoir in the United States, Lake Powell, created by the Glen Canyon Dam. Unlike a typical lake, Lake Powell fills a vast network of sandstone canyons. At full capacity, it has almost 2000 miles of shoreline, which is longer than the Pacific coastline of the United States. Sadly, it is only about 25% of capacity at the moment. However, there is some hope that the upcoming super Niño will lead to larger than usual snowfalls in the Rockies, which on melting will flow via the Colorado River into Lake Powell, increasing its capacity. The lake is named after John Wesley Powell, a Civil War veteran who led an 1869 exhibition down the Colorado River and through the Grand Canyon. Like the Hoover Dam, the Glen Canyon Dam is accompanied by a spectacular bridge.
We went for a cruise on the lake. The bathtub ring on the surrounding cliffs shows just how below capacity the lake is.
Part of the original Planet of The Apes movie was shot in the lake.
It is a very popular spot for boating, with lots of kayaks but also very large boats with as many as twelve bedrooms. Apparently, even large boats like these can be rented and driven by anyone after an hour or so of training, which seems like a recipe for disaster.
