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Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Coordinates:36°59′37″N111°29′13″W/ 36.99361°N 111.48694°W/36.99361; -111.48694
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Reflection Canyon
Map showing the location of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Map showing the location of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Map showing the location of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Map showing the location of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
LocationKane,San Juan,Garfield,andWaynecounties,Utah&Coconino County, Arizona,United States
Nearest cityPage, Arizona,Bullfrog, Utah
Coordinates36°59′37″N111°29′13″W/ 36.99361°N 111.48694°W/36.99361; -111.48694
Area1,254,117 acres (5,075.23 km2)[1]
EstablishedOctober 27, 1972
Visitors5,206,934 (in 2023)[2]
Governing bodyNational Park Service,Bureau of Reclamation
WebsiteGlen Canyon National Recreation Area
Golden Cathedral

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area(shortened toGlen Canyon NRAorGCNRA) is anational recreation areaand conservation unit of the United StatesNational Park Servicethat encompasses the area aroundLake Powelland lowerCataract CanyoninUtahandArizona,covering 1,254,429 acres (5,076.49 km2) of mostly rugged high desert terrain. The recreation area is named forGlen Canyon,which was flooded by theGlen Canyon Dam,completed in 1966, and is now mostly submerged beneath the waters of Lake Powell.

Glen Canyon NRA bordersCapitol Reef National ParkandCanyonlands National Parkon the north,Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monumenton the west,Vermilion Cliffs National Monumentand the northeasternmost reaches ofGrand Canyon National Parkon the southwest, and theNavajo Nationon the southeast. The southwestern end of Glen Canyon NRA in Arizona can be accessed viaU.S. Route 89andState Route 98.State Route 95andState Route 276lead to the northeastern end of the recreation area in Utah.

Glen Canyon NRA was established in 1972 "to provide for public use and enjoyment and to preserve the area's scientific, historic, and scenic features." The stated purpose of Glen Canyon NRA is for recreation as well as preservation (whereas anational parkmay carry more emphasis on natural preservation). As such, the area has been developed for access to Lake Powell via five marinas, four public campgrounds, two small airports, and numeroushouseboatrental concessions.

Geology[edit]

ThePermianthroughJurassicstratigraphy of theColorado Plateauarea of southeasternUtahthat makes up much of the famous prominent rock formations in protected areas such asCapitol Reef National ParkandCanyonlands National Park.From top to bottom: Rounded tan domes of theNavajo Sandstone;layered redKayenta Formation;cliff-forming, vertically jointed, redWingate Sandstone;slope-forming, purplishChinle Formation;layered, lighter-redMoenkopi Formation;and white, layeredCutler Formationsandstone. Picture from Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah.

The geology of the area is dominated by theGlen Canyon Group,consisting of theNavajo Sandstone,Kayenta Formation,andWingate Sandstone.[3]The entirestratigraphic sectionincludes rocks dating from theCretaceoustoPennsylvanianperiods.[4]

Recreation[edit]

Lake Powellhas nearly 2,000 miles (3,200 km) of fish-holding shoreline and provides opportunities to fish for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, and striped bass that swim in the waters of the recreation area.

Houseboat and powerboat in Knowles Canyon on Lake Powell, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Utah

Several local marinas and sports outfitters provide houseboats, powerboats, jet skis, kayaks, fishing gear, and related equipment to visitors.

Graffiti Removal and Intervention Team (GRIT)[edit]

With millions of visitors to the recreation area each year, it is inevitable that vandals will deface the rock faces of the canyon. Glen Canyon NRA has implemented avoluntourismprogram wherein volunteers sign up for a five-day houseboat trip during which they help remove graffiti from the canyon walls.[5]

See also[edit]

Rainbow Bridge National Monument

References[edit]

  1. ^"Listing of acreage – December 31, 2011"(XLSX).Land Resource Division, National Park Service.Retrieved2012-12-14.(National Park Service Acreage Reports)
  2. ^"NPS Annual Recreation Visits Report".National Park Service.Retrieved2024-04-11.
  3. ^"Summary of Geologic History".Archived fromthe originalon 2009-12-26.Retrieved2010-05-20.
  4. ^"Stratigraphic Columns"(PDF).Nps.gov.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2017-02-09.Retrieved2016-07-18.
  5. ^"Graffiti Removal and Intervention Team".Glen Canyon NRA.National Park Service.Retrieved2018-05-03.

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related toGlen Canyon National Recreation Area.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide forGlen Canyon National Recreation Area.
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