Historic Ruins & Heritage

Glen Canyon Dam

📍 Page, AZ, USA

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4.6/ 5.0

★★★★★

Quick Facts

Location: USA
Category: Historic Ruins & Heritage
Duration: 1-2 hours
Opening Hours: Visitor center daily 8:00-18:00 (winter until 17:00), closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year
Ticket Price: Free entry; dam tour adults $5, under 11 free
Address: Page, AZ, USA
Coordinates: 36.9400, -111.5000

Introduction

Glen Canyon Dam, located on the Colorado River near Page, Arizona, is a 710-foot-tall concrete arch-gravity dam built between 1956 and 1966, the second-largest dam in the United States after Hoover Dam. The dam impounds the Colorado River to form the famous Lake Powell, an artificial lake winding through the red rock canyons of Utah and Arizona with a shoreline exceeding 2,000 miles, longer than the U.S. West Coast. The dam crest features a free visitor center with panoramic views of the dam and Colorado River, where visitors can learn about the dam's construction history and hydraulic engineering principles. A tour route descending from the dam top to the riverbank allows close appreciation of this engineering marvel. Lake Powell is a popular destination for boating, fishing, kayaking, and lakeside camping, and serves as the water gateway to hidden gems like Rainbow Bridge National Monument.

✨ Highlights

Second-Largest U.S. Dam

A 710-foot concrete arch-gravity dam, second only to Hoover Dam, a 20th-century American hydraulic engineering masterpiece.

Lake Powell

The dam impounds the Colorado River to form Lake Powell, with shoreline over 2,000 miles, longer than the U.S. West Coast.

Free Visitor Center

The crest visitor center offers panoramic dam and river views, free education on hydraulic principles and construction history.

Downstream Tour

A tour route from dam crest to riverbank lets visitors experience the dam's massive scale and water flow up close.

Gateway to Rainbow Bridge

Lake Powell is the water gateway to Rainbow Bridge National Monument and other red rock hidden gems.

🛈 Practical Info

→Best Time to Visit：Spring and fall are mild; summer offers the most Lake Powell water activities

→Duration：1-2 hours recommended

→Opening Hours：Visitor center daily 8:00-18:00 (winter until 17:00), closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year

→Ticket Information：Free entry; dam tour adults $5, under 11 free

→Transportation：About 10-min drive from Page, 2.5 h from Grand Canyon South Rim

💡 Tips

• Visitors 9+ need valid photo ID for the dam downstream tour; carry passport or driver's license.

• Horseshoe Bend is nearby; combine both for a sensible half-day itinerary.

• Page area is hot and dry in summer; use sun protection and carry plenty of water outdoors.

• With more time, book Lake Powell boat or kayak tours to explore red rock canyons by water.

FAQ

What are the opening hours of Glen Canyon Dam?

Visitor center daily 8:00-18:00 (winter until 17:00), closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year

How much is the admission for Glen Canyon Dam?

Free entry; dam tour adults $5, under 11 free

Any practical tips for visiting Glen Canyon Dam?

Visitors 9+ need valid photo ID for the dam downstream tour; carry passport or driver's license. Horseshoe Bend is nearby; combine both for a sensible half-day itinerary.