Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, National Recreation Area in Arizona and Utah, United States
Glen Canyon spans 1.25 million acres of red rock formations, including the Colorado River and Lake Powell, offering numerous water activities and desert exploration.
The October 1972 establishment of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area followed the completion of Glen Canyon Dam in 1966, which created Lake Powell.
The recreation area contains evidence of 10,000 years of human history, with archaeological sites reflecting Native American settlements throughout the canyon lands.
The Carl Hayden Visitor Center near Glen Canyon Dam provides information about activities, permits, and current water levels for Lake Powell.
Lake Powell, within Glen Canyon, features 2,000 miles of shoreline with multiple marinas offering rentals for houseboats, powerboats, and water equipment.
Location: Kane County
Location: Garfield County
Location: Wayne County
Location: San Juan County
Location: Coconino County
Inception: October 27, 1972
Operator: National Park Service
Address: Utah, USA
Phone: +19286086200
Website: https://nps.gov/glca
GPS coordinates: 36.99361,-111.48694
Latest update: May 27, 2025 08:54
The southwestern United States encompasses desert landscapes, sandstone formations and archaeological sites from several pre-Columbian cultures. The region spans Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado, featuring geological structures shaped over millions of years by wind and water erosion. National parks such as Canyonlands and Capitol Reef display canyons, mesas and rock spires in shades of red, orange and ochre. The area preserves evidence of the Ancestral Puebloans, who built cliff dwellings and communal structures between the 12th and 14th centuries. Sites like Bandelier National Monument and Gila Cliff Dwellings provide access to these habitations. Chaco Culture National Historical Park documents a pre-Hispanic trading center with multistory stone complexes. Petroglyphs at locations such as Three Rivers and the petrified trees of Petrified Forest National Park offer additional historical records. The Navajo Nation administers Monument Valley and the Navajo Zoo, while Hubbell Trading Post operates as a functioning 19th-century trading post. Volcanic features mark Sunset Crater and El Malpais, while White Sands covers more than 275 square miles (700 square kilometers) of gypsum dunes. Glen Canyon and the man-made Lake Cochiti provide water access in this largely arid region. Elevation differences range from the Organ Pipe Cactus Desert to Great Basin National Park with its ridges above 13,000 feet (3,900 meters).
Antelope Canyon
18.2 km
Lake Powell
6.4 km
Horseshoe Bend
12.9 km
Glen Canyon Dam
6.3 km
Bluejohn Canyon
187.4 km
Glen Canyon
17 km
Robbers Roost
169.8 km
Marble Canyon
17.1 km
Navajo Bridges
23.4 km
West and East Mitten Buttes
126.1 km
Fishlake National Forest
195.3 km
Navajo Mountain
55.1 km
Kayenta Formation
119.2 km
Totem Pole
128.2 km
Coyote Gulch
66 km
Cataract Canyon
144.2 km
Glen Canyon Dam Bridge
6.5 km
Calf Creek Falls
93.2 km
Devils Garden
65.9 km
Hole in the Rock Trail
81.8 km
Agathla Peak
113.8 km
Hite Crossing Bridge
140.4 km
Merrick's Butte
124.6 km
Escalante Petrified Forest State Park
89.5 km
Anasazi State Park Museum
102.3 km
Factory Butte
168.5 km
Mount Ellen
137.6 km
Hell's Backbone Road
109.2 kmReviews
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