Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is an expansive area stretching from northern Arizona to Southern Utah. With a mixture of vermillion cliffs, stunning plateaus, and water oases, you are bound to find something fun to do.

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Lake Powell sits in the heart of the recreational area. The lake is formed by the Glen Canyon Dam which is only 20 feet shorter than the Hoover Dam, so it’s an impressive feat of engineering. Lake Powell is very deep (500 to 600 ft) and is surprisingly clear. I thoroughly enjoyed fishing from my kayak. I was able to catch a couple fish which make for a tasty dinner.

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Lee’s Ferry, just south of Lake Powell, is a popular area to begin rafting trips on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Rapids start almost immediately downstream from the launch point. However, the river is tame upstream. I kayaked up the river several miles to find a large cave and interesting canyon to explore.

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Just outside of Page, you will find the Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon. These actually sit in tribal land, not the recreation area. It is worth a visit despite the $50 ticket price. You likely have seen pictures of the Antelope Canyon on screen savers on your PC or on the front of National Geographic. The canyon is really a sensory overload, offering absolutely impressive colors and patterns.  It can be completed in about an hour, so you can fit this in even on a short trip.

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From Page, I drove into southern Utah. I passed through Monument Valley which offers interesting sandstone formations.  You can see many of these from the road. The views transport you into a western movie. You are sure some posse of cowboys will just be around the next turn, led by John Wayne.

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Just north of Monument Valley, there is a great campground in Goosenecks State Park. The campsites are literally on the rim of the canyon formed by the San Juan River. You must take State Highway 261 to atop the plateau. It’s a very scenic road with steep switchbacks overlooking Valley of the Gods, the San Juan River, and Monument Valley. You could even see snowcapped mountains in the distance.

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Glen Canyon Recreation Area really deserved more time, but its sheer size makes it hard to thoroughly explore. If I had it to over again, I would have skipped the Grand Canyon and used those days here.