It's a small town perched on top of a desert mesa near the Arizona/Utah border, and if it weren't for the 3 million visitors that stream through Page every year, the phrase "middle of nowhere" might come to mind. It may be remote from any big metropolis, but Page is also the "gateway" to the wonders of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Lake Powell, the hottest destination for water recreation in the state. (Click the link for the full story on Lake Powell.) If you're on your way to either of these places, Page is the place to stay, load up on supplies, and spend a day or two orienting yourself to the fascinating natural and cultural history of this desert locale.
The town was created in 1957 to house the 2,500 workers on the Glen Canyon Dam construction project, plus their families. They were installed atop Manson Mesa in trailers, working for seven years to construct the dam. Today this small community with amazing views of the Colorado River has a population of about 9,000, and is adjacent to a 27,000 square-mile Navajo reservation. It is the only community within a reasonable distance that provides full services to any of the nearby recreation areas, and as such has enjoyed steadily growing vitality since the completion of the dam.
What to do in Page? Those who take an interest in engineering and the history of the West will love Glen Canyon Dam, a monument not only to man's engineering prowess, but a landmark in the history of water management in the West. The dam is one of the largest power producing facilities in the Western U.S., and is a vital water collection site for the entire Southwest. All of this comes at a price, of course. The dam's placement and construction was hotly protested because of the impact it would, and did, have on the riparian environment along the Colorado, and all the life it supported. Even today proponents of the dam's demolition are an active and vocal force in discussions about future water and land management. The dam offers daily tours and interpretive programs.
