Horseshoe Bend Rafting: The Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam
Cold water, permits and launch rules for the river stretch below the dam
The river around Horseshoe Bend
Horseshoe Bend is a horseshoe-shaped incised meander of the Colorado River near the town of Page, Arizona. Page is the nearest town to the bend, the gateway to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Powell, and the main base for visitors. The river facts for horseshoe bend rafting below concern the stretch between Glen Canyon Dam and Lees Ferry.
The region around Horseshoe Bend began to be uplifted between six and five million years ago, trapping the Colorado River in its bed. The river will likely eventually cut through the neck of the bend, forming a natural bridge and later a cutoff meander. Until Glen Canyon Dam was built in the 1960s and Lake Powell was created, the central Colorado Plateau and Glen Canyon were mostly inaccessible.
The float from the dam to Lees Ferry
Lee's Ferry, the usual river put-in below Glen Canyon Dam, lies about 16 miles downstream of the dam. A Colorado River raft float from Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry takes about 3 hours.
Lees Ferry is the only place in Glen Canyon where visitors can drive right to the Colorado River. River runners launch their boats there, at the very start of the Grand Canyon, for trips down the canyon.
Cold water all year
Water released from Glen Canyon Dam into the Colorado River is drawn from deep in Lake Powell and stays about 46 °F (8 °C) all year. Many boater drownings in the Grand Canyon have been caused or worsened by rapid hypothermia and hypothermic shock from entering the cold water.
Permits, life jackets and towing
Anyone using any watercraft on the river between Glen Canyon Dam and Lees Ferry must get a Lees Ferry Backcountry Permit, with one permit issued per group.
Everyone on a hand-propelled craft between Glen Canyon Dam and Grand Canyon National Park must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when underway. Towing persons behind vessels is prohibited on the Colorado River between Glen Canyon Dam and the Grand Canyon National Park boundary.
Closures, launch ramps and high releases
A river section near Kayak Beach (river mile -15.1 right) is closed to all recreational use each year during osprey breeding season, from March 15 to September 1.
Public launch ramps and docks in the recreation area have a 30-minute limit per group for launching, retrieving and derigging a vessel unless a special use permit is held. When Glen Canyon Dam releases reach 35,000 cfs or more, travel upriver from Lees Ferry requires a motor of at least 25 horsepower.
| Topic | Detail |
|---|---|
| Water temperature from the dam | About 46 °F (8 °C) all year |
| Dam to Lees Ferry distance | About 16 miles |
| Raft float duration | About 3 hours |
| Osprey closure near Kayak Beach | March 15 to September 1 |
| Launch ramp time limit per group | 30 minutes |
| Release level that requires a 25 horsepower motor upriver from Lees Ferry | 35,000 cfs or more |
Guided services and camping in Glen Canyon
Permitted guided services in Glen Canyon include paddlecraft services, fishing guides, guided hikes, guided photography, guided land tours by vehicle and guided water-based instruction. The National Park Service requires specific authorizations for commercial businesses to operate guided services in Glen Canyon.
Campgrounds run by the National Park Service in Glen Canyon do not take reservations or have phone numbers. Camping in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area is limited to 14 consecutive days and 30 days total per calendar year.
Tours
Tours near Page
Questions about rafting below the dam
Rafting FAQ
How long does the raft float from Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry take?
A Colorado River raft float from Glen Canyon Dam to Lees Ferry takes about 3 hours. Lees Ferry lies about 16 miles downstream of the dam.
How cold is the river below the dam?
Water released from Glen Canyon Dam stays about 46 °F (8 °C) all year, drawn from deep in Lake Powell. Rapid hypothermia and hypothermic shock from entering the cold water have caused or worsened many boater drownings in the Grand Canyon.
Is a permit needed to boat between the dam and Lees Ferry?
Yes. Anyone using any watercraft on that stretch must get a Lees Ferry Backcountry Permit, one per group.
Are life jackets required?
Everyone on a hand-propelled craft between Glen Canyon Dam and Grand Canyon National Park must wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket when underway.
When is part of the river closed for ospreys?
A river section near Kayak Beach (river mile -15.1 right) is closed to all recreational use each year from March 15 to September 1, during osprey breeding season.
Where can visitors drive right to the river in Glen Canyon?
Lees Ferry is the only place in Glen Canyon where visitors can drive right to the Colorado River. River runners launch there, at the very start of the Grand Canyon.
Can people be towed behind boats on this stretch?
No. Towing persons behind vessels is prohibited between Glen Canyon Dam and the Grand Canyon National Park boundary.
Related guides
More tours near you
Sources
- Horseshoe Bend (Arizona)
- Page, Arizona
- Mesozoic Fossils - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service)
- Glen Canyon Dam
- Page
- Lees Ferry - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service)
- Guided Tours - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service)
- Camping - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service)