Lee's Ferry, Arizona

[azlakes]

Greetings;

Just got back last week from a camping/canoeing trip up in Northern Arizona. If you are ever in the sights of Powell or headed to the North rim of the Grand Canyon. Lees Ferry is well worth a look. Its the gateway to the Grand Canyon. Colorado river launches into the Grand Canyon start here. While permits are required to go down river. None are needed to go up river 12 miles towards Glenn Canyon dam. That is the famous dam that forms Lake Powell. The campsites are large, panoramic and spacious. The first set of 5 is of the campgrounds and surroundings. You'll make out the river below, always within eyesight and a quick hike down to fish. Shade is sparse and the river bone chilling cold! Entrance fees to the park are required as are camping fees.

Thanks for looking:

 

[azlakes]

Re: Lee's Ferry, Arizona

The dock and launch ramp are excellent and easily accessible. They are about 1 mile from the campground. The large tour rafts have their own beach and launch area so no worries on that. The waters here are very still but be aware of the under currents. These are very deceiving as we found out. Between full thrust(troll) and oaring as hard as possible, we only made it up the Colorado 4.5 of the 12 miles. "I'll be back". The river is plenty wide and deep for an open bow or bass boat. Be aware of the wake as it recoils nicely against the canyon shores. There are small beaches along the way which you can stop and fish from or have lunch. Canoeing, kayakers, fishing boats and rafts all enjoy the run. While my fishing was dismal(shoulda wished us luck Drowned Rat) it was worth every cast. Lees Ferry is an awesome place and well worth a visit.

Enjoy

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Lee's Ferry, Arizona

Looks like loads of fun AZ!

What are the water condition like below the dam, slow moving or ripping current, shallow, deep? What type of fish are in there, trout, stripers?

I fish stripers below Hoover Dam in my jon boat a few times a month and the current is pretty tame, unless your up closer to the dam. I've wanted to try big striper fishing below Glenn Canyon... If there are stripers below the dam and trout stocked there,,, chances are there are some big striper roaming around eating the trout

 

[azlakes]

Re: Lee's Ferry, Arizona

hiya fishrdan -

slow moving, no rapids. but like i stated, to much for a canoe, two oars and a 30lb thrust motor. the water is deeper come summer and flows heavier at night. they release more water during that time at the dam and its noticable for sure. you'd have no problems during this time of year with an outboard running center and watching for the sandbars. the water is extremely clear so vision is not a worry. the temps of the water are hypothermia cold. 40's is my guess. you'll be after rainbow trout. fly fisherman have their element in these waters but many boat up to the dam and float back fishing in many forms along the way. here is pretty good link on what you can expect different times of year.

http://www.amwest-travel.com/awt_lferry.html

havent done the run from the base of Hoover dam but would like to. we did launch at Lake Mead marina and canoe up to the dam top side. that was pretty exciting stuff!

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Lee's Ferry, Arizona

flows heavier at night. they release more water during that time at the dam and its noticable for sure.

Wow, thats opposite of Hoover Dam, good info to know. Hoover shuts down at around 10PM and then doesn't get rolling again until about 7am,,, most of the time... From below Hoover Dam you launch at Willow Beach and go up river from there, about 14 miles of scenic canyons. There is a concessioner that runs canoes/kayaks/rafts from the dam down river, but you have to take their transportation and pay their fees. The river from Willow up to about Ringbolt Rapids is pretty placid, but Ringbolt and above gets swift in certain sections. If your thinking about this trip, do it in the fall/winter/spring, less traffic and cooler temps.

I'm a striper fishing nut and was thinking about fishing Lee's Ferry if there are stripers in that section of the river, I don't know about stripers down there though... Once stripers got into the river below Hoover Dam it ruined the excellent trout fishing. Looks like the trout are doing well at Lee's Ferry so there probably isn't stripers in there.

 

[azlakes]

Re: Lee's Ferry, Arizona

.. good tips on Hoover, thanks. ya we'd probably do it after the summer months. Willow beach from what I remember was very beautiful. they had a pretty serious flood some months back and closed it temporarily if i recall correctly?

.. we did a great trip on Mohave some years back. heard that lake forms because of Mead/Hoovers runoff and Davis dam. i think you can make a full run from Lake Mohave to Willow beach right?

.. as for the night release flow at Lee's. for us nights were over by 9:30 pm so thats the most i can attest to on the faster flows. it may very well slow back down late night or wee hours of the morning. a good question for the rangers stationed onsite.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Lee's Ferry, Arizona

Willow Beach has flooded out 3-4 times that I can remember, the last one was pretty bad. I was down there a few days afterwards and saw the carnage, vehicles buried up to the frame in dirt and rocks and 1/2 of the launch ramp was a sand bar going out into the river. They have pictures of the aftermath in the store's photo albums,,, (along with pics of my 40# and 50# stripers ) If you go there, don't leave your vehicle parked over night by the store's trash dumpsters, that's where the flood passed through, park up by the restrooms.

Yep, you can go from Katherines landing by Laughlin/Bullhead all the way to Willow Beach and on to Hoover dam, (though I don't think you can see hoover dam on the river any more as boats are stopped before the dam comes into full view.) We camped on Mohave last October around MM 36 and had an awesome 4 days, very light boat traffic and perfect temps. The lake was down 10' for winter maintenance and gathering wood was easy, bon-fire for the kids each night!

 

[QC]

Re: Lee's Ferry, Arizona

A few contributions . . . You can still get to Hoover: Check dates/days though!!! Check out this link Black Canyon Restrictions.

This is '04, and right at the barriers which you can see there. I was there in '06 as well. I have been three times from Dam to Dam, that is a long, 140 mile, day

Here are some pics I got from the PR people at the Park of the latest Willow flood:

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Lee's Ferry, Arizona

azlakes, thanks for the great photos. I'm heading up to Lee's Ferry this Sunday for 3 days. I'm going to check out some side canyons I haven't been up before. Did you notice what the river flow was while you were there? It looks like they've been releasing between 10,000 and 18,000 CFS so I bet it was moving pretty good.

QC, I love the pic of the buried Escalade. Too funny. I'm surprised the flood didn't carry the trucks off to the river. Too bad an H2 wasn't parked next to it. That sky still looked pretty ominous. Were you there when that was happening?

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Lee's Ferry, Arizona

Cool looking pics QC!

The last time I was up there I approached the last turn cautiously and read the sign that read "No-Wake", so I slowly maneuvered my boat in full view of the dam. I've got to say it's very impressive at 3am with all the lights burning and dead calm outside.

I don't think the dam cops were impressed with my navigational skills though. About 30 seconds after cutting the engine and soaking up the view I see a set of headlights winding their way down the access road to the river below the dam. The officer cam across the bull horn saying "YOUR TOO CLOSE TO THE DAM, YOU MUST LEAVE"! Seeing that this was a few months after 9-11, 3 o'clock in the morning, I was wearing a hooded ski mask to keep out the cold and probably had a high powered firearm pointed at me,,, I complied.

After that I heard they closed the dam at the last turn, good to know you can get up to Hoover Dam again.



I've probably parked in the same spot as the Escalade 100 times, um, yeah, not anymore!

 

[azlakes]

Re: Lee's Ferry, Arizona

azlakes, thanks for the great photos. I'm heading up to Lee's Ferry this Sunday for 3 days. I'm going to check out some side canyons I haven't been up before. Did you notice what the river flow was while you were there? It looks like they've been releasing between 10,000 and 18,000 CFS so I bet it was moving pretty good.

... great guess. its at 15200 cfs as of 1:15 pm today. it'll pick up later if trend holds, then lighten up at some point late night early morning. your weather should be great when you go. i wish you luck

here is a link to river flow cfs's across the states. plug in your state then look under Flow Search Results. Pick your poison and get some good stats on local rivers in your area. It may default to Animas river stats in Colorado but you can change that. BTW the animas river is another awesome place to raft/canoe.

http://stream-flow.allaboutrivers.com/Arizona/river_flow-sAZ.html#ri29

QC - thanks for the pics and tips, would like to do that 140 mile but not in one day.

 

[QC]

Re: Lee's Ferry, Arizona

would like to do that 140 mile but not in one day.

Yeah, the chicks do NOT dig it Stay a night at Cottonwood or camp.

 

[QC]

Re: Lee's Ferry, Arizona

Were you there when that was happening?

No, I got them from the PR lady at Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Her name is Roxanne Dey and she's great to talk to.

 

[12vMan]

Re: Lee's Ferry, Arizona

Sounded like a great trip!

Just can't beat the scenery of those red rock cliffs, not to mention the beauty of the Grand Canyon itself.

Thanks for sharing

 

[azlakes]

Re: Lee's Ferry, Arizona

I'm heading up to Lee's Ferry this Sunday for 3 days. I'm going to check out some side canyons I haven't been up before.

Pinging DR. Hey man how was the trip and how'd that inflatable you built do?