- Bullfrog Marina will temporarily relocate due to Lake Powell's low water levels.
- Aramark plans the move to ensure safe navigation starting in late April.
- The relocation will significantly add travel time from Hanksville but cut it from Blanding.
BULLFROG, Kane County — A major Utah ramp area within Lake Powell is set to be adjusted to ensure recreation is possible as Glen Canyon National Recreation Area officials continue to prepare for lower water levels this summer.
Concessions provider Aramark plans to temporarily move the Bullfrog Marina on the western shore of Lake Powell closer to Halls Crossing Marina on the other side of the eastern shore, beginning in late April, park officials noted on Wednesday.
The company wrote on its website that the measure seeks to provide "reliable services" while the nation's second-largest reservoir has fallen to 25% capacity, and it may not receive much of a snowmelt bump this year. The marina is expected to reopen in its new location by mid-May.
"(The) deeper water allows for continued marina access and safe vessel navigation," Aramark officials wrote. "The relocation site was selected in coordination with the National Park Service to ensure safe operations. ... The relocation is a proactive step to ensure continued marina operations as lake levels fluctuate."
The Bullfrog Boat Rentals and fuel dock will also be moved closer to Halls Crossing in a process that will begin in early April, it added. Land-based services in Bullfrog, such as its campground, restaurant, gas station and lodge, will remain open despite the change, according to the National Park Service.
Visitors will be asked to clear all work areas while the relocation takes place. Aramark also warns that the change will essentially double the time it takes to reach the new location for people traveling from Hanksville, but it will nearly cut the trip in half for people traveling from Blanding, based on the road access in the region.
The Utah Department of Transportation operates a ferry service to link Bullfrog to Halls Crossing, but the agency doesn't anticipate that it will be operational this year because of Lake Powell's low levels. It had briefly resumed service in 2024 after the reservoir received a bump from solid snowpack conditions in back-to-back years.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area officials added that plans for a long-term ramp at Stanton Creek near Bullfrog are in the process of being finalized, but the ramp isn't projected to be ready by this summer. Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation officials reached an agreement with the Park Service earlier this year to plan out a new, temporary North Wash boat ramp, as part of efforts to address the reservoir's fluctuating water levels.
The updates come as it's becoming increasingly unlikely that it will receive much of a boost from nature this year.
The National Weather Service Colorado Basin River Forecast Center reported earlier this month that the reservoir was on track to have its fifth-worst runoff on record. The agency released its first peak flow forecast on Wednesday, noting that many of its tributaries will likely experience significantly below-average peak runoffs because of a record-low snowpack.
This week's abnormally warm forecast is projected to increase snowmelt, which could limit any peak runoff, the agency added. Long-range outlooks indicate that warm weather may stay in the region for a long period of time, which could produce worse inflows than last projected.
It's why Colorado River Basin states are considering releases out of Flaming Gorge and other Upper Colorado River reservoirs to help stabilize Lake Powell somewhat in 2026.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area attracted more than 3.7 million visits last year, down 28% from its record-setting 2023, when more ramps were operational. The reservoir also provides key hydroelectric production in parts of the region.
"Utah will rise to that challenge while ensuring that Lake Powell, Flaming Gorge and other facilities upon which Utahns rely are protected," said Gene Shawcroft, chairman of the Colorado River Authority of Utah, in February.
