Explore Lake Powell’s Anasazi RuinsConditions are perfect right now to sleuth through the red rock canyons at Lake Powell in search of 1,000-year-old ruins from a mysterious, lost civilization.
Lake Powell’s level is low now and so there is a unique opportunity to see ruins that are normally covered by water. At high water levels a few impressive ruins are visible. But this year dozens more can be seen by observant boaters. I love to hunt them down. I study them with awe and reverence and I take photos, dozens of photos, but I’m careful not to touch these fragile treasures, which are protected by federal laws. Powell’s low water level has generated news headlines and some people have sent emails wondering if it is still possible to boat on the lake. Yes, boating conditions are superb. The reservoir is huge, stretching about 150 miles along Utah’s southern border. At Powell, low means the water is only 300 feet deep, down about 100 feet from its peak. There’s still plenty of lake for ski boats, houseboats and fishermen. I’ve made dozens of trips to Powell – it’s one of my favorite playgrounds – and each trip is different, as the water level rises and falls. Now, at this level, structures are exposed which have been hidden for years. I see a different lake every time I visit.
Then, abruptly, they abandoned their great pueblos and small communities during a short period near the end of the 13th century. The people left behind beautiful pottery, woven baskets, moccasins, corncobs, turkey feathers and other artifacts. Researchers think the Anasazi migrated to the south and become the modern Hopi and Pueblo Indians.
How would it be to poke into a remote canyon and discover a ruin that had never been explored by modern man? To find a table still set for dinner? Lake Powell country offers that potential. It’s a huge, rugged, remote area. Just remember to treat ruins with respect – overly loving enthusiasts are now the biggest threat to Anasazi relics. If we aren’t carefull we’ll love them to death. – Dave Webb A Lake Powell vacation is one of the best family vacations your family can take. To begin planning your family vacation, look at our available trip packages or visit our houseboat rental section of our website. Related news itemsLaunching conditions have been good at all of Lake Powell’s marinas except Hite. Work is now being completed on ramp extensions and all marinas should offer excellent conditions by Memorial Day. The lake level is expected to rise a little in May, covering new concrete and making it easier to launch large boats. The new ramp at Antelope Point, just east of Page, AZ, should be fully functional by the holiday. The concrete ramp at Hite has been unusable (an alternate dirt area has been used to launch smaller boats), but the main ramp should be back in operation within the next couple of weeks.Fishing is excellent at Powell during May. Striped bass congregate near the dam at Wahweap and readily take anchovies. The stripers are preparing to spawn and are attracted to areas with current. Huge numbers of fish can be found along the canyon walls out from the dam and near the intake where the Navajo power plant draws water from the lake (about halfway between Navajo and Antelope Canyons). Stripers also congregate at the top of the lake, near the inflows from the Colorado and San Juan rivers. Smallmouth bass fishing is also excellent in May and early June, as they spawn along the lake’s rocky shorelines. They can be found in shallow water all over the lake and can be caught with jigs and lures. Both striped bass and smallmouth are overpopulated in Lake Powell. Fishery managers encourage anglers to catch, keep and eat the fish. Current Lake Powell fishing conditions are available online. Utah has a new state park, called Sand Hollow, located between St. George and Hurricane. Sand Hollow Reservoir is being billed as a mini-Lake Powell because it offers extensive red-sand beaches and deep blue water. It’s already a popular spot for camping and water sports, and ATVs are allowed to operate on its sand dunes. For more details see www.utah.com’s travel headlines. Wild horses freely roam some canyons and mountainsides in Utah and throughout the West. And wild burros, descendents of animals that escaped from Spanish Padres or miners, live in Glen Canyon and some other areas. They are beautiful animals, fun to watch, and are considered an important part of our national heritage. However, the herds occasionally become overpopulated, meaning there are more animals than range conditions can accommodate. The federal Bureau of Land Management is charged with managing the herds and has been progressive in developing a wild horse adoption program, allowing people who have the facilities and desire to adopt wild horses and burros. BLM and other groups provide support to help owners learn to “gentle” and train the animals. Most mustangs can be trained to become excellent riding horses. A Wild Horse and Burro Festival will be held May 30-31 at the Salt Lake County Equestrian Park (10800 South and 2200 West in South Jordan). Thirty gentled horses from Utah and Wyoming will be available for adoption, including 20 halter-broke yearlings and 10 halter-broke to saddle-broke adult horses. There will also be a wild horse show and free training clinics. SUBSCRIBE / UNSUBSCRIBE / UPDATE
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I’ve been having fun doing just that. I put on my Indiana Jones hat, rev up my outboard and boat through twisting ribbons of turquoise-blue water to the most remote spots on the lake in search of Anasazi ruins. And I’ve been successful. I’ve enjoyed exploring the restored Three-Room Ruins on the lake’s Escalante arm and Defiance House Ruin in Forgotten Canyon. And I’ve actually found other ruins that are not marked on the maps. I recently discovered two small ruins in Davis Gulch that I never knew existed.
Apparently the Anasazi people also loved 
