Wahweap Campground, Page AZ
Our drive from Kanab to Page was brief, taking just over an hour. We are now familiar with the area, including the Wahweap campground and the drive was easy. We landed on the same site as last year. It was hot, though, more than I remembered; even the wind was hot. We ran some errands and got lunch and groceries but had to stay inside. It was just too hot to walk around, as I had previously enjoyed doing; the temperatures were in the low 100s. We had a boat tour booked for midweek, and I was looking forward to that.
The Wahweap Resort and Marine offers various tours; we opted for the Rainbow Bridge tour, a 3-hour ride up Lake Powell. The group on the boat was not too large, consisting of just 35 people, plus our Captain, Ursula, and mate, Laurie.
Once we started, it was clear that the water level was much lower than what I remembered. We passed Antelope Point public marina and Antelope Canyon itself. We kayaked here last year, and I did see some boats making their way into the Canyon. After the public access, there is the private marina (developed by the Navajo Nation, PE, and NPS) with many houseboats, some quite large. You can see how low the water level is because the access ramp ends perhaps 200 feet above the water level, and a new approach had to be built.
We passed the marina and proceeded to Padre Bay, which is the largest bay in Lake Powell. As we were traveling along, Tower Butte came into view, and we recalled our helicopter trip to it from last year.
Padre Bay is huge and open. Our Captain told us that parts of the original “Planet of The Apes” were filmed here, specifically the crash landing. There were other scenes from the movie that were filmed around Page. Once we passed Padre Bay and went past Last Chance Bay, the channel narrowed as we got closer to Rainbow Bridge. You could see houseboats beached in various coves around the shore and the jet skis playing around. As long as you have a generator and supplies, it’s a great way to spend time and enjoy the lake.
We finally arrived at Forbidden Canyon; Rainbow Bridge is a one-mile hike from the pier. As the boat entered the Canyon, it became increasingly narrow. Navajo Mountain is in the background, but I’ve been told that if you want to take the land route, the hike is over 12 hrs to get to Rainbow Bridge. The boat makes it much easier.
The Canyon was very hot but beautiful. The hike was easy, with minimal elevation gain and little shade. We got to the shelter and decided to take in the view of Rainbow Bridge. Ursula told us the Navajo legend about the bridge, although her version differs from what I found on the NPS website
She said that two boys disobeyed their parents and set out on a journey, but a monster started chasing them. They came to a chasm by the Navajo Mountain, which they could not cross. They appealed to their ancestors and promised to listen to their parents; then, the ancestor spirit created the bridge, and they escaped.
The return was a little easier, but it was extremely hot, with temperatures over 100 degrees. We returned to the boat and picked up our lunch. We opted to sit in the air conditioning and try to cool down. There were two private boats moored on the other side of the pier, and a couple of boys were jumping off some rocks; it looked like a good way to cool down, but it was very risky.
Our return was quicker; we passed the Antelope Point Marina and did a nice tour of Glen Canyon Dam. It’s a vast structure, especially with water levels as low as they are right now. There is a lot of controversy about the dam, as it has altered the ecosystem drastically, and discussions have been held about removing it. After reading the book “Down the Great Unknown” about John Wesley Powell’s trip on the Colorado River, I understand why some would like the dam removed and the original Canyon revealed again. According to the book, this section was one of the most challenging yet beautiful parts of their journey. It would be nice to explore the original Canyon. Still, Lake Powell offers a wealth of activities, and, of course, the hydroelectric power generated helps the area.
As always, we met some interesting folks on the boat tour. Lyn, who traveled alone from Prescott, AZ, chatted with Tom about travel and golf. A woman fighting cancer yet living her best life by traveling. Iraqui War veteran who talked about dealing with heat in the Middle East, he could not hike too much as he had problems with his knees. I always enjoy meeting people with such diverse stories.
We also wanted to visit Marble Canyon, Navajo Bridge and Lee’s Ferry. As we were driving south, you could see why a nine mile crow fly distance became 50 mile drive. The terrain is so challenging, deep canyons and cliffs define the area. You have to cut through Antelope Pass, down to Bitter Springs, then go north towards the Colorado River and the Navajo Bridge . It was build in 1929 then a new bridge was opened in 1995 to accommodate the traffic. The historic bridge is now pedestrian only and it’s interesting to walk across it. Recently, California condors have been seen there, we spotted one hanging out and taking advantage of the winds.
From Navajo Bridge, we drove through Vermillion Cliffs to Lee’s Ferry. It is the only point where you can get to the river relatively easily. Before the ferry was put in place, you would have to travel for hundreds of miles to cross the Colorado.
We stopped on public access beach and walked to the river. Tom had to test the temperature of the water and as expected it was cold. We met up with couple of hikers, coming of the trail and ready to take a dip to cool off. Did I mentioned it was brutally hot? We then stopped at the actual rafting put in, which brought back plenty of memories of my rafting trip in 2015.
Vermillion Cliffs along the way from Marble Canyon to Lee’s Ferry were amazing! It is the same formation that we saw around Kanab, part of the Colorado Plateau. Hiking was not for me, 105 degrees or more, but stops for short walks and pictures were in play. This place, together with Glen Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon are just spectacular.
For return treat, we stopped at the Bird House, my favorite fried chicken place. I had enough fried chicken to last for a long time!
During our stay we had to ran some errands in Page, stopping in a hardware store and the public library. I have to say that everyone we met, the Wahweap resort included, were amazing helpful. Wonderful people in Page.
