Park Profile
Address
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
PO Box 1507
Page AZ 86040
Telephone
928-608-6200 (Headquarters, 7am-4pm Mon-Fri only)
928-608-6259 (fax)
Email
Contact Us
Superintendent
Michelle Kerns
Authorization
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area was established by the U.S. Congress on October 27, 1972 to "... provide for public outdoor recreation use and enjoyment of Lake Powell and lands adjacent thereto in the States of Arizona and Utah and to preserve the scenic, scientific, and historic features contributing to the public enjoyment of the area..."
Name
During Major John Wesley Powell's 1869 expedition of the Colorado River, he noted, "So we have a curious ensemble of wonderful features - carved walls, royal arches, glens, alcove gulches, mounds, and monuments. From which of these features shall we select a name? We decide to call it Glen Canyon."
Size
1.25 million acres (505,868 hectares) lies within the two states of Arizona and Utah.
Lake Powell
Only 13% of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, but is the second largest man-made lake in North America. At full pool (3700' elevation, 1127m) it is 186 miles (299 km) long, has 1960 miles (3161 km) of shoreline, over 90 side canyons, and a capacity of 27 million acre-feet (32 million cubic meters). Its maximum depth (at Glen Canyon Dam) is 561 feet (171 m).
Glen Canyon Dam
The dam was built by and is operated by the US Bureau of Reclamation. They control water intake and release as dictated by the Colorado River Compact (1922) and subsequent Laws of the River.
Geology
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is part of the Colorado Plateau geographical and ecological province. Different environments over a period of 300 million years laid down layer upon layer of sedimentary materials, primarily sandstones and mudstones. Approximately 5 million years ago this region was uplifted, thus forming the Colorado Plateau. The Colorado River and its tributaries carved through the plateau's layers, creating Glen Canyon.
Flora and Fauna
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area has catalogued the following species: 875 plants, 305 birds, 57 mammals, 26 fish, 27 reptiles, and 7 amphibians.
Archaeology and Human History
There are thousands of remote archaeological sites throughout Glen Canyon NRA. The oldest human artifacts found are nearly 10,000 years old. There are four National Register listed properties within Glen Canyon NRA. These are Lees Ferry/Lonely Dell Historic District, Defiance House Ruin, Hole-In-The-Rock, and the Davis Pictograph Panel.
