Travel at My PaceAccessible family travel, one stop at a time

Journal · Page · Lake Powell · Arizona

Lake Powell the easy way: Wahweap Marina and Glen Canyon from the water's edge

One of the biggest landscapes in Arizona, seen from a marina, a visitor center and one accessible trail. My reviews and photos from September 2019, checked against the Park Service's access information.

By Travis Estes · Updated November 2026 · Gentle

Evening light on layered red sandstone cliffs above calm blue water and a rocky shoreline
Lake Powell in the evening, September 27, 2019.

My photos put me at Lake Powell on September 26 and 27, 2019: Wahweap Marina at about 8 in the morning, the lake and its buttes later that morning, and the cliffs in the evening light of the 27th. When I reviewed it that November, I didn't hold back. Glen Canyon "makes the list for most beautiful places in America, that's for sure. This place is mesmerizing in its grandeur." Wahweap Marina got a shorter note: "Very clean and orderly. Also, beautiful!!!"

Want to see Lake Powell in motion? Press play on my video from this trip.Lake Powell Trip September 2019 · Posted November 2019 · Watch on YouTube

The good news for anyone with limited mobility is that you don't have to hike to see it. The National Park Service says scenic drives or boat trips "may offer a good way for those with physical/mobility issues to see the vast backcountry of Glen Canyon."

  1. Wahweap MarinaThe big marina at the south end of the lake, with Lake Powell Resort beside it
  2. Carl Hayden Visitor CenterAt Glen Canyon Dam, with tactile exhibits and captioned films
  3. Horseshoe BendThe one maintained accessible trail in the recreation area

Wahweap Marina and the resort

A sandstone butte glowing at dawn across still water, with a line of marina buoys in the foreground
Early morning at Wahweap Marina, September 26, 2019.
  • Lake Powell Resort sits at Wahweap Marina. It lists itself as ADA accessible, with walking paths, marina and dock access, and free parking.
  • Cards only: the resort says all Lake Powell locations are cash-free, and all major credit and debit cards are accepted.
  • Views: the resort warns that its view rooms may have limited views because of declining water levels.
  • Help onto the docks: the Park Service says the marinas run by Lake Powell Resorts & Marinas and Antelope Point will help visitors onto the docks and onto their boats. Call 928-645-1030 to arrange it.
  • Boats: the Park Service says accessible boat tours are available, and that a limited number of accessible houseboats can be rented.
A purple and gold sky over dark water, with dock shapes on the right and a distant mountain on the horizon
Wahweap Marina at 8:15 in the morning, September 26, 2019.

Glen Canyon from the shore

  • Carl Hayden Visitor Center, at Glen Canyon Dam, has tactile exhibits, open-captioned introductory films and dam information in braille.
  • Horseshoe Bend has a hardened trail to the rim that meets federal accessibility standards, with two shade structures with benches and a small accessible viewing area with a safety railing. It's 1.5 miles round trip. Much of the rim is exposed, so watch your footing and keep track of children, and avoid the hottest part of the day. Parking there is run by the City of Page and has its own fee.
  • Everywhere else, the Park Service says, there are no maintained trails: hiking means following routes over uneven ground. That includes the slickrock area called the Beehives, near the Wahweap entrance, where it warns of fragile rock shelves underfoot.
  • Wahweap Swim Beach is the only swimming spot down-lake where motorboats aren't allowed past the buoys. The extended parking lot is pebbly gravel, then a sandy path leads down to the beach. The portable toilet on the way down is the last one; there are none on the beach.
A wide panorama of a lone sandstone butte and low red cliffs across a broad blue lake
A wide view of Lake Powell, September 26, 2019.

Passes

  • Entrance: the park charges an entrance fee per private vehicle that covers everyone inside it for 7 consecutive days.
  • Access Pass: US citizens and permanent residents with permanent disabilities can get a free, lifetime America the Beautiful Access Pass. It admits you to participating federal recreation sites and gives discounts on some activities.

Who this suits

Every age. The Park Service says virtually all the land-based facilities are accessible, and the marinas will help people onto docks and boats, so this is a big landscape that a wheelchair user, a grandparent and a toddler can share. For another northern Arizona view you can drive to, see Sedona without the big hikes.

Gear that helps

Most of Horseshoe Bend's rim and the marina docks are exposed, and the swim beach has no shade. Worth packing:

Affiliate links: the Amazon links here are tagged, so I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. They're suggestions for this kind of trip, not products I've tested, and prices change, so I don't list them. Disclosure

Heat & sun

Sunday Afternoons Adventure Hat (UPF 50+)

Horseshoe Bend has just two shade structures on a 1.5-mile round trip, and the Park Service says much of the rim is exposed.

Check price on Amazon Details

More ideas, grouped by need, on the accessible travel gear page.

Sources

Official pages read November 2, 2026.

Opening hours, routes and rules change; check the official pages before you go. Planning links for every guide are on the Plan page.