- States: AZ, UT
- NPCA Region: Southwest
- Est. Date: 1972
Air Quality Conditions
View the Polluted Parks ReportVisibility
Unsatisfactory
Health
Unsatisfactory
Nature
Unsatisfactory
Climate Change Threats
The 1.2 million-acre park spans the scenic desert landscape from bottom of Canyonlands National Park to the tip of Grand Canyon National Park, including buttes, cliffs, canyons, and mesas. The park also contains the Glen Canyon Dam, which was completed in 1963, creating Lake Powell and changing the surrounding environment dramatically. Visitors can kayak the Colorado River which flows through the canyon, hike or mountain bike along the Orange Cliffs and Burr Trail, or take scenic drives along the back roads.
More about Glen Canyon
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Read more about Utah’s Mighty Five and Beyond (WAITLIST ONLY)
Land Based Trip Utah’s Mighty Five and Beyond (WAITLIST ONLY) Uncover the rugged beauty and rich Indigenous history of Utah – a vast state with some of the country’s most famous national parks. On this nine-day national parks highlights trip, you’ll experience Utah’s famous “Mighty Five” national parks – Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches and Canyonlands – along with the lesser known but equally stunning Bears Ears National Monument and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
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Read more about Conservation Groups Secure Settlement to Protect Glen Canyon, Shaping Motorized Vehicle Use Management
Press Release Conservation Groups Secure Settlement to Protect Glen Canyon, Shaping Motorized Vehicle Use Management “Known for its iconic sandstone cliffs, exquisite dark skies and preserved natural soundscapes, the Orange Cliffs area is a sanctuary within Glen Canyon. NPCA applauds this commitment from the National Park Service to propose protecting the rare tranquility of the area’s backcountry solitude and the extraordinary landscape found here." —Ernie Atencio, NPCA's Southwest Regional Director
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Read more about Chasing a Troubled River
Magazine Article Chasing a Troubled River The mighty Colorado River and its tributaries run through seven states and 10 national park sites and provide water and electricity to millions of people. But as photographer Pete McBride documents in a new book, the river is drying up, and the need to correct course grows more urgent every day.
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Read more about The Skeleton Crew
Podcast Episode The Skeleton Crew A new fossil discovery at Glen Canyon could deepen our understanding of ancient mammal-like reptiles that lived among some of the earliest dinosaurs. The scientists share their findings.
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I believe in what Theodore Roosevelt started and people like John Muir spoke of, and Ansel Adams captured on film... it is something that should be preserved for all the generations that follow us. We all need to get lost in the beauty of the wilderness, to soothe our souls, and remember how fortunate we are to have it because of those who loved it enough to keep it as it is for us to enjoy. — Susan
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Read more about Climate Change Forces Difficult Decisions Along the Colorado River
Blog Post Climate Change Forces Difficult Decisions Along the Colorado River Without enough water to go around, federal agencies and advocates weigh competing needs of people and threatened fish.
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Read more about A Disastrous Time for National Parks: Congress Must Act Fast To Rebuild Them Stronger
Storymap A Disastrous Time for National Parks: Congress Must Act Fast To Rebuild Them Stronger In recent years, we’ve witnessed record floods, severe and more frequent storms and hurricanes destroy communities, shutting down businesses and ripping through our parks and the landscapes, wildlife and life-changing experiences they hold. Take a deeper dive to see the devastation of these disasters and what you can do to help.
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Read more about Angling for Cash
Magazine Article Angling for Cash Glen Canyon National Recreation Area tries a novel approach to control brown trout.
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Read more about Parks group files lawsuit over off-road vehicle usage at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Press Release Parks group files lawsuit over off-road vehicle usage at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area The Park Service's decision to authorize off-road vehicles in Glen Canyon will harm the landscape and disrupt other visitors
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Read more about 10 National Park Cameos in Movies
Blog Post 10 National Park Cameos in Movies Check out — or revisit — these 10 films where parks played a starring role.
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Read more about Trump Administration Rollback Could Hurt These 10 Parks
Blog Post Trump Administration Rollback Could Hurt These 10 Parks Revisions to the Clean Water Rule could have real, on-the-ground consequences for hundreds of national park sites — including these 10.
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Read more about National Park Service greenlights lessened protections in favor of off-road vehicle use in Glen Canyon
Press Release National Park Service greenlights lessened protections in favor of off-road vehicle use in Glen Canyon Increasing off-road vehicle use threatens park resources and remote solitude
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Read more about Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Off-road Vehicle Plan Ignores Threats to Park Resources
Press Release Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Off-road Vehicle Plan Ignores Threats to Park Resources The National Park Service’s proposed special regulations for off-road vehicle management at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area misses the mark, ignores park impacts.
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Read more about Park Service Ignores Harmful Impacts, Advances ORV Management Plan for Glen Canyon
Press Release Park Service Ignores Harmful Impacts, Advances ORV Management Plan for Glen Canyon Lengthy process results in a plan that could increase environmental degradation to Glen Canyon National Recreation Area rather than minimize it.
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Read more about Protecting and Connecting Our Nation's Treasured Park Landscapes
Fact Sheet Protecting and Connecting Our Nation's Treasured Park Landscapes National parks are key to protecting and connecting our most revered places.
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Read more about National Parks of the Colorado River Basin
Report National Parks of the Colorado River Basin This report focuses on the ways in which management of the dams along the Colorado River and its major tributaries affects resources in five national parks in the Colorado River Basin.
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