Beach Camping at Lake Powell

Although I am now getting around to write about this trip, we took this trip back in late October/early November of last year. Yep, I got some catching up to do. This is what happens when you are adventuring faster than you can write about them. Not a bad problem to have.

Road Trip to Southern Utah Part 1

Red Rock Campground is 279 miles northeast of Los Angeles

My subie was jam-packed with camping and hiking gear on that Friday morning. Even the floors were occupied with 5 trash bags of firewood. As soon as we finished breakfast, we got on the road. We met up with Jen and the boys at Red Rock Campground at 1 PM. Unfortunately, all individual campsites were taken and we had to find a walk-in campsite. Not ideal for our dogs since the campsites were right next to each other but it would just have to do for one night. Even before the sunrise, we began breaking camp. We couldn’t load the cars fast enough. Unless we get an individual site, we won’t stay there again.

Lone Rock Beach Campground is 282 miles northeast of Las Vegas, NV

Once we got on the road, we felt better. Love having two-way radios on road trips. It’s so easy to communicate with each other while on the road. First, we were in Nevada then Arizona, Utah, back to Arizona then back to Utah. We drove through multiple state lines that day. My phone stopped resetting the time automatically at some point. Maybe it got annoyed. Originally, we were headed toward White House Campground but at the last minute, we changed our plan and drove to Lone Rock Primitive Campground at Lake Powell instead. I am so glad we did.

We found a spot in the middle of the beach away from other campers. After being in the car for hours, pups loved having water to play in. Even Xena went in and had a good time. She did crazy zoomies I’ve never seen before making figure 8 around our cars several times. So happy!

Jen researched camping sites for us and I researched trail information. Both Jen and I are resourceful and enjoy researching. But Jen is especially great at last minute detours when things don’t go as planned. I can always rely on her to stay calm and come up with a backup plan with me in those times. My strength is organization and planning. Of course, I had a spreadsheet of our 10-day trip itinerary and additional information we might need. We make a great team.

The next day we explored Wire Pass Trail in Kanab. But first, wow… that 8.4 miles on House Rock Valley Rd to the trailhead was an adventure in itself. It was so bumpy and rugged. Dogs hated it. We drove so slowly trying our best to not upset them too much.

The first mile was flat and easy. Then we reached the first slot canyon and it got interesting.

We were faced with an 8-foot drop. This can be bypassed by going up on top of the canyon so we turned around and found that route instead.

It was all good until we reached this viewpoint. You can’t tell from this picture unfortunately but it gets really steep after about 1/3 down on this slope.

At first, it was River who froze and didn’t want to move any further. Then it was me little after that.

Xena first followed Jack and Jen all the way down thinking I would follow her. When she got down and saw me still up on the slope, she came back up then an interesting thing happened.

She quietly stared at me for a while then turned around and found her way to the bottom again then she watched me intently. I still didn’t move. I couldn’t move.

I was sitting down holding on to a branch by then, trying not to have a panic attack. River, on the other hand, was having a panic attack above me. He was pacing and whining.

Xena came back up for the 2nd time and stared at me again. Then, she climbed down the boulders again looking back and me here and there this time. Then I realized she was trying to show me the way. Come down like this, Mom. Are you watching me? 

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When I couldn’t even respond to Jen’s ‘Are you ok?’, she knew that was my limit. Jen, Jack, and Xena climbed back up for River and me and we made back to the top together. All three of them weren’t disappointed that they didn’t get to go further. They were just happy to have the pack again.

Adventuring isn’t all about the destination. It’s the journey and the bond we build during the journey with adventure buddies we choose to spend time with.

We had an amazing time at Lone Rock. My favorite memories of camping at Lake Powell are sunsets and sunrises.

Dreamy sunsets

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and stunning sunrises before everyone gets up. I dream of starting and ending my day like this every day someday.

Jen and I felt true joy while adventuring and creating new memories with our pups and with each other. Life is wonderful when you get to do things that make your soul happy.

Good to Know:

• Operated by the National Park Service
• According to the National Park Service website,
  • $14 per vehicle per night. No reservations.
  • Primitive camping permitted on a sandy beach or in dunes
  • No designated campsites
  • Open fires must be within a four-foot-square area
  • Quiet time 10 pm-6 am
  • Four micro-flush toilets, 6 vault toilets, and 1 wheelchair accessible comfort station
  • Outdoor cold shower
  • Off-road vehicle area
  • Dump station. Potable water (seasonal). Day use area. No launch ramp.
• If you are camping with dogs, I highly recommend camping here during the off-season. Our dogs didn’t bother other campers and they were under our control at all times. Rangers were cool with them off-leash. They even stopped by to say hi to our dogs. Lone Rock Campground gets packed during summer. If you go then, your experience would be very different from ours.
• Cell Phone Service: AT&T – No; Verizon – Yes
• Wire Pass Trailhead:  37.019077, -112.024789

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