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This is probably the most popular spot on Lake Powell for panoramic photography. This is Gunsight Bay, north of the main channel. The top picture was taken from Alstrom Point, which can be reached by driving twenty-five miles over dirt roads. Unfortunately, you can not climb up here from the lake. The cliffs are too steep. Believe me, we tried.
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Face
Canyon Face Canyon has several nice sandy beaches to camp, some with small dunes to play on. Here we're in a side canyon trying to get shelter from the April winds. That's Face Canyon bay in the background. There's plenty to explore here, either by hiking or jet skiing to the ends of the canyon. Moonlight canoeing would also be wonderful. |
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This is a familiar view to anyone who travels uplake. Dominguez Butte is located on the south side of Padre Bay, which is probably the largest bay on Lake Powell. It is a bittersweet site to see on the way back for it means that your trip is almost over. |
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Dungeon
Canyon |
Dungeon Canyon is an easy half day's journey from Walweap. It features lots of nice camp areas with good hiking up canyon. The time we were there we were awaked by the sound of bells, sheep bells. A large herd wandered up to our camp, milled around for awhile to ensure we were all awake, then quickly left. |
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Sand Sculpting |
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Mountain Sheep Canyon is one of my favorite places. However, there are very few camp spots, so get there early. Be careful, for there are several places with shallow water in the bay. |
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This is the best camp spot in Mountain Sheep Canyon. It is near the end, just before the canyon narrows. The narrows are a fun place to explore in a small craft such as a canoe. And even then the canyon eventually becomes too small for the canoe to pass. There are three forks upstream constituting about a mile of passage. |
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This is the view from the back of Mountain Sheep Canyon looking north. You can get here by a bit of a scramble up the rocks from the camp spot in the previous photo. | ||||
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Ever wonder what's up on top of all those cliffs? Well, here's what we found looking south from the ridges overlooking Mountain Sheep Canyon. Truly spectacular! | ||||
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This photo was taken on the ridge above Driftwood Canyon. Driftwood Canyon has one decent camp spot for a small boat, but it was too rocky for us to park Sweet Dreams. We lingered long enough to explore two narrow forks in our canoe. |
Driftwood
Canyon
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Rainbow
Bridge
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If you have the time, a stop at Rainbow Bridge is always a delight. It is at the end of the left fork of Forbidding Canyon. Boat traffic there can be quite heavy, so please take care. | ||||
| This is a view of the Oak Bay skyline as you're crusing up the main channel. I've always loved the colors in the rocks here and the rounded tops of the shoreline cliffs. |
Cruising
up Lake Powell |
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There are a couple decent spots to camp in the right fork of Reflection Canyon, which is called Cottonwood Gulch. Don't confuse this place with Cottonwood Canyon. They're different. The first year I went to Lake Powell it rained most of the time. However, we were rewarded with hundreds of spectacular waterfalls. |
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Everywhere we looked there were water streams gushing off the canyon top.
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Just around the bend up there is a nice hiking trail leading to some obscure Indian ruins. And if you're observant, you may find some pictographs. | ||||
| Cottonwood Canyon has several sandy beaches that make wonderful camps. But you better get here early for this is a popular place. |
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| We pulled into this side canyon of Cottonwood Canyon and had it all to ourselves. The map shows a couple Indian ruins and an arch are somewhere up this side canyon, but we only found one ruin. That'll leave more to discover the next time we go there. |
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Fifty
Mile Canyon |
Fifty Mile Canyon is a very steep walled canyon with very few camp spots. To get to this vantage point, I had to swim across the channel, then scramble up the rocks. I had this whole vista all to myself. | ||||
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On the last
day of our vacation we had to get up before dawn to
make the long trip back to Walweap. This photo was taken
just after breakfast as we were cruising down the main
channel.
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Please do not copy them without my permission.
