Planning Your Lake Powell Elopement
Iconic Lake Powell is a reservoir on the Colorado River located in Utah and Arizona. Lake Powell attracts visitors with its surreal blend of desert landscape and blue waters. It's easily one of my favorite spots in Utah and also one of my favorite elopement locations. Its nearly 2,000 miles of shoreline offer endless opportunities for boating, kayaking, fishing, and exploring hidden slot canyons accessible only by water. What attracts visitors is the beauty, the contrast of water and stone, remoteness and refreshing waters which are the perfect oasis in the summers. Many love Lake Powell for all the adventures and water activities available.
When planning your elopement or wedding you have to keep few things in mind:
- Lake Powell is pretty remote, tucked in the souther corner of Utah, bordering Arizona.
- In order to get here you'd have to either fly to St George located 3 h away, Phoenix, AZ 5h away, Salt Lake City 6h awayPage, Las Vegas 4h away or Arizona the closets regional airport.
- You have to rent high clearance vehicle such us Jeep Rubicon, Toyota Highlander or 4Runner
- Always carry a lot of water (2-3 gallons per person), sunscreen (the sun can be brutal most of the year), download offline maps (no reception in the area)
- Fill up the gas tank (no gas stations till Page or Kanab)
Activities to Do in Lake Powell
Because of how remote Lake Powell is off roading is a great way to explore some the most remote beaches and viewpoint. There are many things you can do in the area but the few most popular ones are:
- Renting a jeep and exploring the area in Arizona and on Utah side. There are so many amazing and photogenic spots only accessible by a car like jeep.
- Hiking to places like Antelope Canyon (I highly recommend avoid hot summers when hiking in a desert due to unbearable heat but also flash floods risk). Antelope Canyon. You will need a permit and a tour guide to explore this place. There are several authorized tour operators lead small groups to the canyons and teach them about the area’s history and geology. Most visitors choose to visit the Upper Antelope Canyon so they can see the famous canyon walls streaked with sunlight. The Lower Antelope Canyon tours are beautiful.
- Boating is another very popular activity is boating, jet skis, and fishing. There are several boat tour operators in Page, AZ to choose from and adding an adventure on a boat on your elopement day can be a great idea, especially on a hot day.
Where to Stay in Lake Powell
When coming to this part of the states you should base yourself out of Kanab for couple of days. Kanab is located 2 hours away from Lake Powell. That cute charming town offers great restaurants, coffee shops, great hiking trails nearby, pink sand dunes and so much more. If you love camping there is lots of dispersed camping for miles and miles. There a few clamping resorts on the way, simple cabins, cute airbnbs or modest motels.
You can also stay in Page, AZ which is right by Lake Powell, and much closer to Antelope Canyon but Page offers less in terms of dining out options.
Permits and Regulations
Lake Powell is part of Glen Canyon Recreational Area on a BLM lands therefore eloping couples need a special use permit from the BLM. There are many field offices of BLM but the one responsible for permits in this area is Page, AZ.
The application requires a $300 fee and should be submitted at least 45 days in advance. Permit guidelines cover guest limits, parking, and allowed equipment. You can find permit application here.
