An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
Official websites use .gov A
.gov website belongs to an official government
organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A
lock (
) or https:// means you've safely connected to
the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official,
secure websites.
All wood-burning and charcoal fire use and setting, building, maintaining, attending or using open fire of any kind must stay in designated firepits and grills at campgrounds and below the high water mark on the shores of Lake Powell. Devices fueled by petroleum or LPG products are allowed in all locations. Discharge or use any kind of fireworks or other pyrotechnic devices are prohibited at all times on all federal public lands.
Alcohol
The consumption or direct possession of an alcoholic beverage by a person operating a vehicle or vessel is prohibited. Glass bottles and Styrofoam are prohibited in the park.
Weather
Find information on the weather, forecasts and lake levels on Glen Canyon’s Weather Page.
Lightning
Desert thunderstorms carry the double threat of flash floods and lightning. They occur most often during the monsoons in summer. Be wary of nearby storms.
Flash Floods
Flash floods are the artists who carve the intricate curves of slot canyons. They are also the assassins of anyone who may be in their paths. Be flash flood aware:
Keep an eye on the sky. Look for darkening skies, flashes of lightning, and/or increasing wind, that may be signs of an approaching thunderstorm.
Listen for the sound of thunder. If you are in a canyon, you may hear the storm before you see it.
If you do venture out and recognize thunderstorms nearby, head to port or safe shelter as quickly as possible. Get to higher ground if you can
If storms or flash floods are predicted in your area, even if you do not see storm clouds or feel rain, STAY OUT OF NARROW CANYONS.
The desert can be a harsh and unforgiving environment, especially if you are not accustomed to it.
Drink Plenty of Water
Drink plenty of water, even when you are not thirsty, your body can lose large amounts of water without you realizing it. Be aware of balancing fluid and electrolyte levels. Have with you at least 1 gallon (4 L) of drinking water per person, per day.
Take It Easy In The Hot Summer Days
Dress for summer. Wear lightweight, loose fitting, light-colored clothing to reflect heat and sunlight. Minimize direct exposure to the sun. Sunburn reduces your body's ability to dissipate heat. Know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Slow down: reduce, eliminate or reschedule strenuous activities until the coolest time of the day. Children, seniors and anyone with health problems should stay in the coolest available place, not necessarily indoors.
Watch your pets: ground temperatures in the sun are higher than air temperatures. Our buddies close to the ground need protection from the heat too.
Watch for Signs of Trouble
If you feel dizzy, nauseous, or a headache, get out of the sun immediately and drink water or sports drinks. Dampen clothing to lower body temperature. Be alert for symptoms in others.
Heatstroke is caused by prolonged exposure to high temperatures or by doing physical activity in hot weather. Symptoms include high body temperature, lack of sweating, flushed skin, rapid breathing and unconsciousness.
Hypothermia is an emergency in which your body loses heat faster than it can replace heat and it can occur even at temperatures above freezing. Symptoms include uncontrollable shivering, slow or slurred speech, memory lapses and incoherence and exhaustion. Immediate treatment includes giving victim warm, non-alcoholic drinks, seeking shelter from the weather and getting the victim into dry clothes.
Travel Prepared to Survive
Check road conditions before you leave AND at the nearest ranger station/visitor center if you take an unpaved road. Do not trust your vehicle or cell phone's GPS to take you on a road your vehicle is able to drive on. Carry extra drinking water in your car in case of emergency. If your car breaks down, stay with it until help comes.
Backcountry Travel
Avoid hiking in the heat. Hikers and backpackers need to be self-reliant and well prepared. Always plan, carry detailed maps and let someone know your plans.
Stay aware of your surroundings when you are on the water. Be aware of wakes and waves that bounce back and forth between canyon walls. Slow down when passing boats. Look at the size of the wake, not the size of the boat. Depending on hull design, even relatively smaller boats can produce serious wakes. Approach large wakes at a 45-degree angle.
Before going out on the water, check weather forecasts and look for storm warning flags at marinas. If a storm breaks while you are out, seek shelter in a protected cove immediately and wait until the storm passes. Lightning is also a hazard on open water.
Water levels on Lake Powell change throughout the year. Always approach the shore with caution and watch for shallows and submerged debris.
Many persons who drown never intended to enter the water. Life jacket jackets are required for people under twelve and everyone operation a paddlecraft. We reccomend that everyone wears one. All boaters must have required safety equipment on board their boat.
Bow riding (sitting on the top front part of the boat) is illegal unless the boat is designed for people to ride in the bow section (the bow section will have seats).
All boaters must know and follow applicable state & federal boating requirements, as well as carry all required equipment on their vessels. Copies of this information are available at visitor centers. Please check our Boating page for more information or visit the U.S. Coast Guard's Boating Safety Resource Center. Additional information is available from the states of Arizona and Utah.
On the Colorado River
Check the river outflow before you go. High flows mean faster waters. Low flows may mean navigationg around river obstacles.
Check with a visitor center or your rental/backhaul company for a current weather forecast. Heavy rains produce waterfalls at the tops of the canyons.
The water is cold. Remaining in the water for too long can produce hypothermia. If you get thrown from the boat, do the best you can to get back in, or get yourself to shore. Practice your self-rescue techniques before you get to the Colorado River.
Let someone know you are planning to paddle and your approximate return time. Fill out a free backcountry permit so the rangers know you are out there.
On Lake Powell
Check the weather with a marina, boat rental, or a visitor center for a current marine weather forecast. High winds can make large waves. Pull over and wait if winds are strong. Thunderstorms producing high winds can come up suddenly on Lake Powell. In the off season, the water is cold and often very choppy. Even in the summertime, remaining in the water for too long can produce hypothermia. If you get thrown from the boat, do the best you can to get back in, or get yourself to shore. Practice your self-rescue techniques before you go to Lake Powell.
Obtain a map of Lake Powell or the specific area you are going. Maps are available at marinas and visitor centers.
Let someone know where you are planning to paddle and your approximate return time.
While you will always be in sight of land, distances are deceiving; the space around and across the lake is greater than it seems. Be prepared! You will be sharing the lake with motorized watercraft of all sizes. Be sure to stay in close proximity to the shoreline. When crossing an open area of the lake, paddle as a group and keep an eye out for oncoming boat traffic. Kayaks are difficult to spot – you are dwarfed by the immensity of your surroundings. When in small canyons, watch out for rebound waves.
Always
Have safety equipment with you, including:
PFD (personal flotation device) worn at all times on the paddlecraft
paddle
layers like a jacket; wet suit or dry suit
drinking water or a means to purify water
high energy snack bars
emergency blanket
sunscreen
wide-brimmed hat
walking shoes for exploring
The National Park Service continues to stress the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) and boats. This odorless, tasteless gas can kill you. The gas replaces the oxygen in your lungs and if you do not receive oxygen soon, the damage may be fatal.
While past emphasis has been on houseboats, studies show that all boats can collect dangerous levels of CO. Any time generators and/or engines are running, CO is produced.
Do not allow passengers to congregate around engines or the backs of boats when engines or generators are running. This is especially important when you may enclose the boat for warmth.
In boats that vent CO out the back, this deadly gas can collect under the swim step and spaces under the boat. The CO remains there long after engines and generators have been shut down. Don't play or swim under the swim step or under the boat. Use carbon monoxide detectors. Always be aware of the dangers of CO around your boat.
Personal flotation devices, or lifejackets, save lives. Since Lake Powell was created, over 150 people not wearing lifejackets have drowned. Boaters are required to carry a lifejacket of proper size for every passenger in the boat. Children 12 years of age and younger must wear a Type I, II, or III U. S. Coast Guard approved lifejacket when the boat is underway. It is recommended that children always wear a lifejacket when they are around water, even if they are not on a boat. People on personal watercraft must wear a lifejacket regardless of their age, as must anybody being towed by a boat (skiing, tubing, etc), and anyone using paddlecraft on the Colorado River.
Swimmers
There are no lifeguards or designated swim beaches. Swim at Your Own Risk.
Do Not Swim at Marinas
Don't swim in marinas. Boat traffic and propeller strikes can maim or kill. Electrical faults from vessels or docks can electrocute swimmers.
Lake Powell Recreational Water Advisory
Anytime that you do recreational activities (swimming, water skiing, making sand castles, etc.) on the beaches or in the waters of Lake Powell you are strongly encouraged to follow basic hygiene practices:
Do not ingest the water
Wash your hands before eating and touching your eyes or mouth
Shower with soap after participating in any water activities
Wash your hands after handling fish, gathering up your water gear and toys, changing out of your swimming suit, etc.
Do not enter the water if you have open sores or cuts or if you are currently sick with diarrhea as one of your symptoms
Wet, loose, or unusually smooth ground
Flattened, uniform, or freshly leveled surfaces may indicate soft or saturated sediment beneath a thin surface layer.
Unexpected water seepage or pooling
Slow upward seepage or water collecting in isolated spots can signal unstable, water-saturated ground.
Shifting, rippling, or vibrating soil
When stepped near (not on), the ground may move, ripple, or subtly vibrate, indicating insufficient support below the surface.
Dry-looking surfaces that feel soft or spongy
Even with a dry crust, quicksand may compress noticeably under light pressure. Always test from a secure position using a tool, never with your full weight.
Depressions or saturated low spots
Drainages, low areas, and freshly exposed shoreline zones can hold fine sediment mixed with water, making them prone to becoming unstable.
Fine sediment mixed with water
Silt, clay, and very fine sand, especially following storms or rapid water-level changes, can create conditions where ground appears normal but is structurally weak underneath.
General, Evidence‑Based Steps for Safely Escaping From Quicksand
Stay calm and avoid sudden movements
Panicked motion causes the body to sink deeper and mixes more water into the sediment, reducing buoyancy.
Lean back to spread out body weight
Shifting into a reclined or sitting‑back position increases surface area, helping the body float. This reduces downward pressure and prevents further sinking.
Slowly work legs upward
Move one leg at a time, gently and gradually, to allow water to flow into the space around the limb. This loosens the suction effect.
Create space around the legs
Wiggle feet slowly or rotate legs slightly. The goal is to let water replace the vacuum around the limbs, so the sediment no longer grips them tightly.
Use slow, controlled movements to move toward firmer ground
Once the legs are free, continue leaning back and use arms or a back‑floating motion to inch toward solid ground. Avoid standing upright until fully out.
If available, use a sturdy object for leverage
A branch, trekking pole, or another person’s extended tool (not their hand) can provide stability without putting weight directly downward.
Call for assistance if escape is difficult
Quicksand is rarely life‑threatening, but escaping can be tiring. Assistance may be needed if the sediment is deep or if the person is fatigued.
Sadly, there have been multiple deaths in Lake Powell due to cliff jumping. Realize if you leap from 50 feet up, you could be going almost 40 miles per hour when you hit the water. The higher the jump off spot, the faster the velocity upon impact.
It is prohibited for any person to jump or dive off of rock cliffs, ledges, or man-made structures (excluding vessels) 15 feet or higher. The National Park Service does not advocate or promote the activity of cliff jumping or diving regardless of the height from the water surface. For the purpose of this restriction cliff, ledge, or man-made structure is defined to mean any formation of rock or soil, or structure, or combination thereof (excluding vessels).
Desert creatures of all sizes can hurt you if you are not careful. Please be aware of biting and stinging animals, arachnids, and insects. A few venomous animals live in the park, including rattlesnakes, scorpions, and black widow spiders. While a scorpion sting is likely to be mild (like a strong bee sting), anyone bitten by a black widow spider or rattlesnake should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
It is illegal to feed animals in the park. Providing wild animals food may have a negative impact. Wildlife need only the natural habitat elements - food, water, and shelter - provided by their environment. Animals used to humans may become aggerssive, especially if they have rabies. Seek medical attention if you are bit by a critter.
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a potentially deadly disease spread by infected wild rodents, especially mice. People become infected when the virus becomes airborne—when dust is stirred up or nests are disturbed, especially in confined spaces. Recently, cases of this respiratory disease have been confirmed on the nearby Navajo Nation. Learn more about how to protect yourself from Hantavirus.
Come and capture your adventure in the park. Check out these quick tips on how to avoid photography-related hazards when visiting our national parks.
Launching, landing, or operating an uncrewed aircraft from or on lands and waters administered by the National Park Service within the boundaries of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Rainbow Bridge Monument is prohibited except as approved in writing by the superintendent.
TITLE 36 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS
PART 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS
1.5 Closures and public use limits
(a)(1) Visiting hours, public use limits, closures Uncrewed Aircraft defined: The term "uncrewed aircraft" means a device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the air without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the device, and the associated operational elements and components that are required for the pilot or system operator in command to operate or control the device (such as cameras, sensors, communication links). This term includes all types of devices that meet this definition (e.g., model airplanes, quadcopters, drones) that are used for any purpose, including for recreation or commerce.
Prepare. Protect. Preserve. No one is impressed by how high a cliff you can jump off.
Duration:
30.072 seconds
Last updated: March 3, 2026
Park footer
Contact Info
Mailing Address:
PO Box 1507
Page,
AZ
86040
Phone:
928 608-6200
Receptionist available at Glen Canyon Headquarters from 7 am to 4 pm MST, Monday through Friday. The phone is not monitored when the building is closed. If you are having an emergency, call 911 or hail National Park Service on Marine Band 16.
