Next westbound: Kaibab Plateau  Next eastbound: Antelope Island

Looking east on UT-AZ border toward Lake Powell

The economy of nearby Page, AZ is critically linked to the water level in Lake Powell, with its two-story houseboats and deep-throated speedboats. Paddling a kayak from Wahweap Marina (on left) to Antelope Island (due east) requires dealing with wake from all angles, evoking an excursion on Nantucket Sound. The sapphire lake contrasts with pottery-pink sandstone mesas: a hot, bright playground for world tourists. Still, it’s hard not to think about evaporation and critical water demands that the Colorado River cannot meet. This play pool will dry up.