Big Water: Fossils, Lake Powell, and Scenic Panoramic Drives
Accommodation in Big Water
Big Water combines geological discoveries, Lake Powell, and impressive excursions through the canyon landscape. This makes the town suitable for travelers who want to spend their days moving between a museum, waterscapes, starry skies, and long panoramic drives. When looking for a vacation rental in Big Water, it helps to first determine the focus of your trip: Is it primarily geology and paleontology, access to Lake Powell, or a drive to Alstrom Point?
Geology, Paleontology, and Local History
The Big Water Visitor Center focuses on early geological and paleontological discoveries in this region. Geology and paleontology are the main themes at the Big Water Visitor Center Museum. One special detail is a full-length wall mural depicting the landscape of the Late Cretaceous. This combination of Earth history and landscape makes a visit an illustrative complement to outdoor experiences.
The town's history can also be seen in a name: Big Water was originally known as “Glen Canyon City.” Those interested in the town's development and the geological features of the surrounding area will therefore find a different way to approach the trip here than during a stay focused exclusively on landscape views.
Lake Powell, Lone Rock Beach, and Water Activities
Big Water borders Lake Powell. Access to the lake at Lone Rock Beach is two miles south of Big Water on U.S. Highway 89. The route to the water is mostly via sandy roads or the beach. You should take this specific terrain into account when planning your day and choosing your accommodation in Big Water if the lake is to play an important role in your trip.
Swimming, motorized and muscle-powered boating, and a designated ATV area are listed at the Lone Rock Beach Campground. This means that different forms of recreation are available side by side. For your own planning, it makes sense to distinguish between a stay focused on water activities and an excursion to the town's geological attractions, rather than combining all the offerings into a single experience.
Scenic Drive to Alstrom Point
One of the notable excursion options is the 46-mile (74 km) drive to Alstrom Point. It offers panoramic views of Lake Powell's constantly changing canyons. The route begins in Big Water via Ethan Allen Road and then continues along Smokey Mountain/Croton Road, Route 230. Anyone planning this excursion should factor the full length of the route into their trip itinerary.
The Wiregrass Canyon Trail also offers a different experience. It leads through a sandy wash, requiring sections of scrambling and detours. The trail thus represents an active exploration of the landscape, while the visitor center has a stronger cultural and educational focus.
Starry Skies and Trip Planning
Local ordinances protecting the night sky help make bright stars and galaxies clearly visible in Big Water. The starry sky thus adds a distinctive travel experience to the daytime activities around the museum, lake, and canyon landscape.
On Saturday, October 8, 2022, the Big Water Visitor Center hosted a public National Fossil Day program with fossil-related activities. This past program demonstrates the town's thematic focus, but is not an indication of a future event date. For further trip planning, you can also include Orderville, Duck Creek Village and Kanab in your itinerary.
For the broader trip overview: Kane County.
