Going from Big Water, Utah to Page, Arizona pretty much every day I get the unique opportunity to drive by Lake Powell. Today was a beautiful day with a storm brewing out of the Southwest - the direction most of them come from

I stopped along Lakeshore Drive and shot a few photos

One of the favorite swimming spots on Lake Powell for both locals and tourists alike is The Coves. It’s a bit of a walk down to the water but as the lake comes up, the walk gets shorter! It is just past Stateline Marina and on the Utah side of the border.

Wahweap Lodge and Wahweap Bay at Lake Powell. The Utah Arizona State line is just out of the photo on the left. Wahweap is located in Arizona.

Part of the Lake Powell Wahweap Marina can be seen in this shot.

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I stopped by and joined the Page Lake Powell Chamber of Commerce today and had a good time doing so! The chamber is a big part of the activity and planning that occurs in Page and the surrounding areas and their office is the place to go for information.

Roy Boughton is the Executive Director and has a background in Real Estate, so it was a pleasant experience filling out the paperwork and chatting.

Yes, we agree the market is starting to rebound around here. We also agree that Page and the Eastern Kane County areas were fortunate not to get slammed with all the crazy lending practices that went on in other parts of the country. While the market has been slower it has been stable.

The chamber also puts out a relocation guide that has local school information as well as local busineses listed. The guide is a must for anyone planning on relocating to the Page - Lake Powell - Big Water areas.

Stay Tuned for more chamber info ~

Contact the Page Lake Powell Chamber of Commerce:

phone: 928-645-2741

address: 608 Elm Street Suite C, Page, Arizona

email: Page Lake Powell Chamber of Commerce

Here is the new link to the Page, Arizona MLS search:

Page MLS Search

This joins the Kane County, Utah MLS search that has been here for a few months.

Kane County MLS Search

Also here is the Fredonia, Arizona MLS Search

Fredonia, Arizona MLS Search

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928-691-6444

1st Quarter Real Estate Market Report for the Page-Lake Powell-Greenehaven area.

Total Sales - $2,893,201
Total Units Sold - 15

• 1 - Commercial Business
• 1 - Commercial Lot
• 5 - Manufactured Homes
• 6 - Single Family Homes
• 1 - Single Family Lot
• 1 - Patio Home

Two commercial leases were also completed.

Average Days on Market: 195

Average price per square foot residential: $108.43

First quarter last year sales: $3,226,226

Kane County Utah including Big Water, Church Wells, Clark Bench and Paria 1st Quarter 08 Market Report

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Every year thousands of folks get in trucks and make the trip to Antelope Canyon on the Navajo Reservation. Antelope is a slot canyon frequently called Corkscrew Canyon (the first three minutes in the canyon and there is no need for explanation as to where the name Corkscrew came from). The entrance to the canyon is about 15 minutes from Page, AZ.

Antelope Canyon drains a large area into Lake Powell which means flash floods are common in the canyon during monsoon season. In the summer of 1997 a tour group entered the canyon against warnings from the guides. 11 people were killed that August afternoon when a large flash flood went down the canyon.

I worked at Glen Canyon Dam when the 97 flood happened and was present as a gentleman from the National Weather Service called in the flash flood warnings. There are really not words to describe the feelings, four hours later, as the news of people being washed down the canyon started to come across the airwaves.

So much of life in the west depends on the water - yet deadly, it is. To cover 1 square mile of water in 1 inch of rain - that is 17.38 million gallons. Imagine 50 square miles with 3 inches of rain. The sandstone does not absorb water quickly so it all rushes down hill to the lowest point - Lake Powell in this area. During some flash floods all 120 feet of Antelope Canyon will be filled with water.

It can be clear where you are, raining 30 miles away and flood the canyon. If you go, listen to the guides at the gate or go with a tour company in Page, Arizona. While breathtakingly beautiful it is also life threateningly dangerous at the wrong time. Formed by the rush of water over time ~ it has not much respect for a person in the way.

A couple of weeks ago we went out to the canyon as we had friends visiting. Taking a break from real estate is difficult, because the “home” and “property” thoughts are usually close to the surface. As I walk the canyons it amazes me that these were peoples homes. This is where they had children, ate dinner, ground corn, farmed the land and hunted for so many generations. While not in the canyon the Anasazi ruins are abundant in this area.

In the next few weeks I am going to blog about two amazing companies that lead the tours out to the canyon. Antelope canyon is one of the most photographed canyons in the world, and most recognizable. Also the topic of flash floods in the desert will be covered this summer. If you are living here, or thinking of relocating here, you need to be aware of the floods in that occur during monsoon season.

Reminder: the canyon was made by water - lots and lots of water. The same force that made the Grand Canyon made Antelope Canyon.

It was windy this time when we went through the canyon and there was a Sand Fall. Rather like a water fall, but, alas, sand. Beautiful does not even describe it.

The top picture “blew out” a bit - next time I’ll know how to shoot it better.

My two sons at the back side of Antelope Canyon

Flash Flood Information and Video From Rankin Studio

Here is a beautiful Panorama Shot of Betatakin
(Click Photo To Make Full Size)

What Real Estate web site would be complete without a look into the past to find those who have called these pieces of property “home”? You won’t find these homes listed on the MLS.

This begins a several part series on the real estate remains of the people who were here before the current inhabitants.

The Lake Powell area specifically, and the Colorado Plateau generally, was home to several Native American Tribes. The Ancestral Puebloans, or Anaszai, lived on the plateau from about 400 to 1400 when they disappeared from this area. Tree ring studies have shown that a extended drought hit this region lasting upwards of 40 years. Drought or war? Whichever reason this town was abandoned.

This photo is “Betatakin” (Navajo word for “Ledge House”) on the Navajo National Monument. It is estimated about 120 people lived in this village but only for about 50 years - from 1250-1300. The site was found well stocked with supplies as if they were coming back, but never did. Betatakin is thought to be ruins of the modern Hopi. Navajo people used it as well later in the 1500’s and now people can walk through it and get a taste of life in a small village of the past.

This area was pretty well teaming with human life since about the year 400. There was no lake but the Colorado River was nearby. The bay in the photo is Wahweap Bay. Wahweap means “bitter water”. The Colorado, before the dams, was either raging in the spring with the snow melt, or 90 degrees and a wall of moving mud in the late summer, early fall.

The native Americans built some villages on the shores of tributaries of the Colorado, but not on the river itself. Wahweap only had water flowing in it during spring run off, or during the monsoon season in the summer. The water would stagnate in pools and become unsafe to use. It is thought they named it Wahweap as a warning to their own children and to other’s passing through of the danger of the stagnant water.

The Mormon Pioneers got to this area about the same time as John Wesley Powell, the 1860’s. I plan on doing posts on Lee’s Ferry - one heck of a story there with the graveyard and the only crossing of the Colorado for hundreds of miles. It’s also one of my favorite places to hang out today.

Art Greene was one of the next really influential people in the area leading tours not only down the Colorado river, but opening a trading post and leading folks to Rainbow Bridge. Greenehaven, Arizona is named after him.

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The Glen Canyon Dam was started in 1956 and finished in 1966. Waweap creek then filled up and became Wahweap Bay on Lake Powell!

For more information on any property in Greenehaven

call me at 928-691-6444 or email

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See Also Lots with Lake Powell Views at Greenehaven 

Greeenehaven Arizona has changed a lot in the last few years. This small town has a rich history in our area and was named after Art Greene. I found a great site at ASU Libraries with photos and all about Art Greene - You can check it out

Discovering the Colorado River

Greenehaven is the only community with ownership “almost” on the shores of Lake Powell.

The look of Lake Powell is going to be changing as the water level is coming up about 4 inches a day. By the end of spring runoff the lake should be 50 vertical feet higher. Imagine what that is going to look like.

There are numerous lots available as well as several beautiful spec homes from the developer. Also there are private owned homes and lots for sale as well.

For more information on any property in Greenehaven

call me at 928-691-6444 or email

Contact Me

See also Lake Powell Inflow Predictions

Aman Resorts newest hide-out is in the high, wind-blown deserts of Southern Utah, close to Lake Powell just past Big Water. While surfing today I came across a interesting link to the Villas. The plan is, beside the resort, to have several individual ownership villas. The link below contains conceptual drawings of the villas, pricing, and date of availability.

It is apparent that the Amangiri designers find the same awe-inspiring beauty of the area that so many locals and visitors do as well. Beautiful.

Amangiri Villas

Stay tuned for more information…….
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See Big Water Celebrates Bird Day for backgound of what Bird Day is.

So Egg Races are for all ages. The little guys went first then the adults got in on it. Run the length of the parking lot with an egg in a spoon and don’t drop it. Yah!

The guys get three nails and a small hammer. The gals get two nails and a small hammer and the little kids get one nail and a BIG hammer!

Ladies take the arm wrestling pretty serious.

The weather was perfect and everyone looked like they had a good time by the time the awards ceremony came around at 6:30 pm. Long day of fun!