Glen Canyon Dam

The Glen Canyon Dam holds back the mighty Colorado River, creating Lake Powell. There has been quite a lot of controversy about the building of the Glen Canyon Dam and the beautiful Colorado River valley that Lake Powell filled in. Despite the conflict, the fact remains that the Glen Canyon Dam has been erected and Lake Powell is now a substantial recreational haven. The gorgeous beauty of the Canyon extends far above the shores of Lake Powell. Today you can play in this sweeping canyon and reservoir by renting a houseboat for a week or other activities that are popular. Over 2 million people come to Lake Powell every year.

Glen Canyon Dam created the second biggest man-made reservoir in the country. The creation of the Glen Canyon Dam was quite a mechanical feat. President Dwight D. Eisenhower pressed a button from the Oval Office that ignited the first demolition blast for the building of the Glen Canyon Dam on October 1, 1956. In 1960, concrete placement began and lasted for three years as it was finished on September 13, 1963.

The Glen Canyon Dam is over 700 feet high and bridles back well over 24 million acre-feet of water. 17 years went by before the reservoir filled behind the Glen Canyon Dam. The sheer amount of water in Lake Powell supports a vibrant culture of house boating, boating and recreating. An experience of a lifetime is waiting aboard a 75-foot luxurious houseboat equipped with a couple jet skis and an eight-person hot tub.

Glen Canyon Dam created a reservoir that enabled recreation to evolve into a very specialized house boating and water recreation mecca. Lake Powell's size alone has helped enable this houseboat trend. Daily tours are offered at the Glen Canyon Dam as well as boat and houseboat rentals on Lake Powell.