Truck Campers & Lake Powell

[Jfresh]

Does anyone have any suggestions on where to camp on lake Powell? In the past we have done a house boat but now that we have a TC it seems like a waste of money. I was thinking beach camping with nice set up and the boat anchored out front. But I have a low profile boat trailer so it would have to be fairly easy access. Plus i need a decent place to launch a x-45 as I need to get it pretty deep. Or we could go the full hook up style at a camp ground and maybe they have boat slips to rent so we don't have to pull out every night. Access to fuel for the boat would also be necessary.

Any information or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Planning on going in June. Is it possible to do a day trip to the south rim of the grand canyon?

[boogie_4wheel]

You've got 4wd, boondock at Lone Rock. Then anchor/tie the boat a few feet off the sand right in front of your camp.

Last I remember, Stateline ramp came out of the water before the Wahweap ramp did. But I haven't been down there lately... You could also stick it in the water at Lone Rock. I launched/retrieved a 19' runabout Lone Rock in a 2wd dually years back.

The farther north on the beach, the harder the ground is. As you go south the ground gets more sandy and 4wd is a must. Being June, you might expect to have to run down the beach a little ways. Don't forget to air down if you need to!

[Golden_HVAC]

Hi,

The lake is down many feet from the normal height. Some are saying that all the boat ramps are about 300 feet from the water, high and dry.

You might want a back up plan, like a pair of 18" hitch extensions. Once near the launching point, unhitch, and install both extensions. Then a ball mount that can lift the front of the trailer, and it will point the top of the boat trailer a bit skyward. Continue to back into the water, and the boat will now be 3 feet farther back from the truck.

Etrailer.com

I would not hesitate to tow around a campground with the two hitch extensions, but not go on the highway with it that way. That said, my 2" ball mount was stuck to my hitch drop extension, and I could not separate them. So I was borrowing my brother in law's pickup, and used both in his F-150 while I rented a small u-haul trailer. I took it on the freeway, and then loaded it with furniture, and drove it back through about 15 miles of city traffic. (freeway was jammed with rush hour). I did make it home fine.

Good luck on your trip! I don't know where to find access to the river that offers free camping except probably Hite Marina. I say probably because the last time I was there, the lake was not there, and the boat ramp was several hundred feet from the river. If the lake had been full, then it would have been there, but in 2003 it was down about 200' below it's full point. This was at the entrance to Lake Powell, closer to Moab than Page.

You might find little more than a trickle of water at Hite Marina now, I hear that the lake is at near record low levels!

Good luck!

Fred.

PS: Yes dry camping in the forest around the Grand Canyon North Rim is excellent! I hope to spend a summer there sometime. . .

[GpnAZ]

Wahweep Campground for hookups and close to the boat ramp, Lone Rock Campground for boondocking on the beach, but I don't think you could launch your boat and it's probably 5 miles from the boat ramp. North Rim is the better option IMO for a day trip to the Grand Canyon, it's about 130 miles from Lake Powell. Great area to explore!

[Ramblin__Ralph]

I stayed at Wahweap campground last Sept. Very near a large boat ramp. Don't know about slip rental, though.

Edit: Daytrip comment to N Rim deleted. Forgot it's not a straight shot.