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		Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Reprinted from Aug 2006 Issue -by ROSSELLA BRINA During our recent road trip from the Tri-Cities to Phoenix, we stopped for a brief visit at Lake Powell, inside Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, in Arizona. Lake Powell is the second largest man-made lake in the United States. It is 186 miles long, has 1,960 miles of shoreline and 96 major canyons. But as impressive as these numbers are, they cannot convey the beauty of the Lake’s red and gold sandstone cliffs interspersed with sandy beaches that slope down to sparkling blue waters. No wonder Lake Powell is one of the most popular attractions in the National Park Service system, bringing in nearly three million visitors a year. Exploration of most of Lake Powell can be done mainly by watercraft, since access is limited because of the few roads that run through this recreational area. This is an obvious destination for anyone who loves water-related activities, offering everything from boating, water-skiing, and scuba diving, to parasailing, fishing and cruising. Glen Canyon Dam is the reason there is a Lake Powell. And while most of Lake Powell is in Utah, the dam is on the part of the lake that resides in Arizona, not far from the town of Page. Construction of the dam over the Colorado River was completed in 1963, and it took 17 years to fill the lake to the planned level of 3,700 feet. Just downstream from the dam, Glen Canyon Bridge gives travelers on U.S. 89 a striking view of this engineering marvel. Free guided tours of the dam’s interior begin at the Carl Hayden Visitor Center, next to the Glen Canyon Dam and Bridge. Wall-to-wall windows gave us the first breathtaking glimpse of Lake Powell. From the visitor center, the closest stop for boaters is the Wahweap Marina, 5.5 miles away. This is the largest marina and lodging facility in the Glen Canyon Recreational Area. When we stopped for relaxation, the waters were crisscrossed by all sorts of boats, including several large houseboats. It made us wish we had more time to spend here to rent one ourselves and placidly float on these clear waters, exploring the myriad canyons and natural beauties of this lake. Entrance to the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is $10 per vehicle, and it is good for a week. Concessionaires offer boat tours that last from one hour to all day, and provide rentals at developed areas. During this trip we took a detour southwest of Page, down scenic highway 89A, to cross the Colorado River on historic Navajo Bridge. The Navajo Bridge spans Marble Canyon in a silvery arch that stands approximately 470 feet above the Colorado River. This is considered the most historically significant bridge in Arizona, since it replaced Lee’s Ferry in 1929, ending the hazardous requirement to be ferried across the river. It is the only crossing for nearly 600 miles. In 1994, a new bridge was built right next to the original in order to support modern traffic, and the old one is reserved for pedestrians now. We took a walk across the old bridge, and we were glad we did. The view of Marble Canyon—where the Grand Canyon has its start—is fantastic, with the Vermillion Cliffs that tower behind it offering a stark contrast to the lighter rock of the canyon walls. We also spotted four of the six California Condors that are monitored here after their release to the environment. This is part of a captive breeding program that ensures the continuation of this species which, in the 1980s, was in danger of being extinct. Marble Canyon was chosen, together with a few other sites, for the release of the condors because the undeveloped lands of northern Arizona offer sufficient food and plentiful nesting sites. For more information about Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, contact it at P.O. Box 1507, Page, AZ 86040, (928) 608-6404, or visit www.nps.gov/glca.