Epic Travel → North America → Mountain States → Arizona → Lake Powell Area → Lone Rock Canyon Kayaking

Location: Western Lake Powell, Utah

Time Required: 4 -6 hours

Red Tape/Notes: Whether you’re kayaking or running the canyon on foot, the ropewiki page is helpful, since you can download a gps track. We rented kayaks from Kayak Lake Powell, and it was nice and easy.

What’s Nearby?: Toadstool Hoodoos, Horseshoe Bend, Glen Canyon Dam

We had intended to paddle across Lake Powell and descend this canyon on foot, but upon investigation of the exit we found that the water levels were much too high and we would have been swimming through most of it. It is a pretty cool kayak (or canoe), though. A short paddle across Lake Powell from the Lone Rock Beach camping area, you’ll pass by the namesake Lone Rock and into the sheltered bay of Lone Rock Canyon. There’s much less boat traffic in this area, since you’re at the far west of the Lake, but you’ll still have to contend with some boats and jet skis. However, taking the right (east) fork of the canyon as you head towards the back will lead you to a narrowing hallway of pocketed rock, and a pass that boats can’t get by. It’s a squeeze for jet skis, so most of them won’t bother. Kayak as far back as the water levels allow, but try not to get your boat stuck in the shallows; decaying plant life and a horrible thick black (smelly) mud make walking your boat out something less than enjoyable. We braved the schmoo to see if it was worth exploring farther up canyon, but ended up abandoned the effort after I nearly lost my shoe in it. The rest of the canyon is fun to paddle around in, and has some short side canyons you can explore. Some of the large huecos on the walls of the canyon also make fun places to sit and cool off on a hot day – they’re like walls of tiny, awkward bathtubs.

Epic Travel → North America → Mountain States → Arizona → Lake Powell Area → Lone Rock Canyon Kayaking