Wahweap Auxilliary ramp will provide some access at Lake Powell

Wahweap Auxiliary Launch Ramp, August 11, 2021. Photo: National Park Service

GLEN CANYON NATIONAL RECREATION AREA — This week, the National Park Service (NPS) announced that the Wahweap Auxilliary ramp in south Lake Powell will be available to launch and retrieve some motorized vessels.

The main ramp in Wahweap will soon be closed to all motorized vessels because of low water levels.

The Auxilliary ramp was designed and constructed in the 1960s as a temporary ramp for small vessels. It has been fully or partially submerged in the years since, leaving its asphalt “extremely friable.”

NPS has implemented the following requirements to help preserve the structural integrity of the ramp:

• Vessel size limits: Use of the Wahweap Auxiliary Ramp will be limited to motorized vessels that are less than 36 feet in length and do not require Arizona Department of Transportation Oversize Permitting for highway travel (up to 8 feet 6 inches vessel beam [width]). Vessels that exceed these dimensions will not be allowed to launch.
• Accessing the Wahweap Auxiliary Ramp: Boaters will access the Wahweap Auxiliary Ramp from the Wahweap Main Ramp.  Signage and/or NPS staff will be onsite to help direct traffic.
• Day use only: The Wahweap Auxiliary Ramp will be open from 6 a.m. MST until 7:30 p.m. MST each day. Launching and retrieving vessels outside of operating hours is prohibited. (Boaters should anticipate seasonal adjustments to ramp operating hours. Operating hour changes will be posted.)
• No solo launch or retrieval: No courtesy dock will be available so boaters must have a boat operator and a vehicle driver.
• Up to 2 trailers at one time: No more than two trailers will be allowed on the ramp at one time. Boiler plate ramp materials have been installed to aid boaters. The ramp and boiler plate materials are narrow.
• Prepare boats before accessing the ramp: To ease congestion and facilitate boat access at the ramp, please prepare vessels prior to reaching the ramp access point.
• Use caution: There will be limited space for access, egress, and turn-around at the top of the Wahweap Auxiliary Ramp. Please be cautious. Four-wheel drive vehicles are highly recommended.
• No parking on Wahweap Main Ramp or Wahweap Auxiliary Ramp:  Parking will remain in designated parking lots only.
• Non-motorized vessels: Visitors may continue to launch and retrieve nonmotorized vessels at the Wahweap Main Ramp.
• Temporary closures/additional restrictions possible: Please be advised that temporary closures and/or additional launching restrictions may occur to install ramp materials and assess ramp conditions.

You can check NPS’s low water page for updates about ramp status at Lake Powell.