I have to admit that when I was planning the trip out west with our family, I did not have pontooning on Lake Powell as part of the itinerary. The itinerary that I had set up was to spend a day in Paige, Arizona. We were going to go to Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon.
Antelope Canyon had been closed since COVID started. We were holding out hope that Antelope Canyon would open up, but we gave up on that a couple of days before we were going there.
Fortunately, for us it was a blessing in disguise. My wife and I talked to the kids about what else we could do. We ended up deciding on trying to get a pontoon boat for Lake Powell. It was a long shot since it was so close to when we would be in Paige.
We made some calls and eventually found a company that had a pontoon boat that fit 10 people that we could rent for the day. That was perfect and so we pulled the trigger and rented the boat.
I am sure that Antelope Canyon would have been great. We eventually saw another slot canyon later on in the trip. After the trip was over, pontooning on Lake Powell was the top activity that we did that everyone enjoyed the most.
If you don’t know anything about Lake Powell, it is a man made lake that is formed from the Glen Canyon Dam holding back the water of the Colorado River at Paige, Arizona. Lake Powell has 1,960 miles of shoreline which is equivalent to the coast along the western part of the United States.
The lake has sheer red and orange cliffs and natural formations such as bridges and arches. The lake also has 100 side canyons that people can explore.
So, I have come up with 7 reasons why you should rent a pontoon on Lake Powell. If you have the opportunity, you will not regret it.
1. Bonding time
I like to think that our family is close, but there is something special about doing something as a family that everyone is really enjoying which brings you closer together. This was the case as it came to pontooning around Lake Powell as a family.
It was such a unique experience and I think everyone in the family all felt the same way. We were out on the water for over 7 hours but it went by so fast. When you get done with something, and you don’t want it to end, it brings you closer together.
2. Beautiful scenery
We live in the Midwest in Ohio so the type of scenery that you see around lakes is totally different from the views that you get around Lake Powell. I personally love the landscapes in Arizona and Utah. It just speaks to me.
So, being in a lake where you have canyons with sheer red and orange cliffs, buttes, and bays was just awe inspiring to witness.
As you travel through the lake there are different canyons that you can explore. As you travel down the canyons, you have sheer cliffs that are red and orange in color that surround you. You could get up close and personal with the cliffs. At one area of the lake, we stopped and many of us went and climbed up a part of a cliff.
Besides the beautiful canyons and cliffs, there are buttes that surround the lake are wonderful to see. There is just something majestic about these features that seem to have grown hundreds of feet above the surrounding ground.
In Ohio and the Midwest when you go to a lake there are homes that you see, but with Lake Powell that is not the case. You see all the scenery without any homes being in the picture.
3. Explore more of the lake
Lake Powell is a massive lake, especially the length of it. Renting a pontoon allows you to explore a good portion of the lake in a given day. The pontoon is not as fast as a motorboat, but it still had a little giddy up.
4. Water is warm enough to swim
We were on Lake Powell in June. The day that we went onto the lake was in the 90s. It would have been a bummer if the water would have been too cold to enjoy swimming in the lake.
I love the heat and I definitely don’t want to be swimming in water that makes me feel chilled. The water felt a little chilly at first, but my body adjusted quickly, and it was really refreshing. So, jump in and enjoy.
5. Make memories
There are certain things in life that are more memorable than others. Renting a pontoon on Lake Powell was definitely a memorable experience. Besides all of the beautiful scenery that is unforgettable, it was spending time with the family and interacting with them that made it memorable.
Some of the memories that we made were swimming and exploring cliffs with one another. Parking the pontoon and spending some time on one of the beaches was nice. Watching two of my son-in-laws climb up and jump off a 30 to 40 foot wall was unforgettable.
6. Relaxing
The day that we were on the lake was a cloudless beautiful day. There were a few things that I wanted to see on the lake, but besides that, there was nothing that we had an agenda for.
We were able to take our time and park the pontoon for a while in various places. It was nice being able to kick back and relax. Everyone soaked up the scenery and enjoyed one another’s company.
7. See the lake in comfort
We had 8 people in our party so we got a 26 foot pontoon that was big enough for 12 people. The pontoon had nice cushioned seats. It had plenty of storage for us to put things out of the way. There was a covering that if you did not want to be in the sun, you could be in the shade if you wanted to.
There was plenty of room to move around. You could stand up without an issue as we were traveling. We could stream music through their audio system which was nice.
Recommendations
Before we went to the pontoon, we went and bought plenty of food and drinks. You are going to be on the lake for a while more than likely so you will want to have enough food and drinks to last.
We wanted to buy styrofoam coolers since it was going to be just for a day being on the lake. Unfortuantely, we could not find any. We didn’t want to buy regular coolers since we did not want to have to store them and take them home.
We ended up finding some bags that were insulated and reusable. They were perfect for what we needed. We gave each of the girls one of them when we were done with the trip.
You will have to decide what you want to do, but the insulated bags were a nice option. They were easy to fold up and put in our luggage.
We rented the pontoon out of the Antelope Point Marina. It is a nice long walk from the parking lot to the marina. We all walked down to the marina and when you are hauling all kinds of stuff, it is not really that fun.
Make sure to look for the free golf carts since they drive people down to the marina. The same is true when you are done for the day and are heading back to the parking lot.
Besides the rental of the pontoon, you will have to pay for the gas when you come back. So, you will have to work that into your budget. For our 7 to 8 hours on the lake it cost us around $175 for the gas for the day.
There are a number of different companies that rent out pontoons. Below are 3 of them to take a look at.
Lake Powell Resorts and Marinas
Lake Powell Rentals and Retail
Final thoughts
Renting a pontoon on Lake Powell is something you will not forget. If it is with friends or family, it is going to be an activity that you look back on and think that it was money well spent. So, I encourage you to do so if you have the chance.
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