Page, Arizona is one of the youngest cities in the USA. Prior to 1956, it was only an arid desert mesa perched on the edge of the deep chasm formed by the Colorado River. In early 1957, the US government began construction of the controversial Glen Canyon Dam and the Glen Canyon Bridge across the Colorado River gorge. A small town was laid out to house the army of construction workers building the dam and bridge. They called it Page.
The Glen Canyon Bridge was completed in 1959. The dam was finished in 1963, but it required an additional 17 years to fill with water and form Lake Powell. Today, Page boasts a population of over 6,000. It has schools, churches, shopping malls, hotels, restaurants and lots of recreational activities.
Page is located near the Arizona-Utah border on the western edge of the great Navajo Nation. It is about two hours drive west of Monument Valley, two hours east of Zion National Park, two hours northeast of the South Rim Visitor's Center of the Grand Canyon and about an equal distance from the North Rim Visitor's Center. It is the major eastern crossing point of the Colorado gorge. The Grand Canyon and the Colorado River form a great barrier which no roads cross between the vicinity of Page Arizona until Boulder City, Nevada 250 miles westward. Anyone touring the spectacular attractions of Arizona and Utah usually ends up passing through Page Arizona.
Page Arizona is a great place to pause on your trip through the beautiful high desert country. The Glen Canyon National Recreation Area includes Lake Powell and encompasses over 1.25 million acres (500,000 hectares). It offers many opportunities for swimming, boating, fishing, hiking and backcountry touring.
Lake Powell is the second largest man-made lake in the United States. It is 186 miles long and has more than 1900 miles of shoreline. Imagine a desert landscape with cliffs, mesas and gorges carved out of pink and red sandstone with almost no living vegetation. Yet, in the middle of this barren and austere beauty lies an almost surreal expanse of azure water surrounding crimson buttes and extending its fingers into innumerable canyons and serpentine ravines. It is one of the strangest and most beautiful places in southwestern USA.
The best way to see the magnificent scenery around Lake Powell is via boat. You can take guided tours from Page or from nearby marinas to visit many of the local attractions like the majestic Rainbow Bridge, the largest known natural bridge in the world. You can rent a motorboat or a kayak and explore the lake and its 96 major side canyons on your own. If you have the time, you can rent a comfortable houseboat for a leisurely week of gently cruising around this immense lake, fishing, swimming or exploring.
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There are many hiking trails around the lake and throughout the surrounding desert country with its extraordinary geological formations. This area is renown for its amazingly beautiful slot canyons or eroded and sculpted cracks in the sandstone that are often only a few meters wide but a hundred meters deep. The most famous slot canyon in the area is Antelope Canyon just a few miles south of downtown Page. This entire area is a photographer's dream.
You can rent bicycles in Page. You can take helicopter rides over Lake Powell. There are several nice campgrounds in the vicinity. It is a great place to stop for a meal or for a night's lodging, as it offers a nice selection of restaurants and a variety of hotel accommodations. The best time to visit is during the summer months. This is high desert country, so it can get cold during the winter, but it does not rain very much.
