Lake Powell - Stanton Creek

[Udink]

I bought a new camp trailer in May and finally this past weekend got a chance to use it. The old toy hauler was great for when we had ATVs, but the new trailer (which is actually older than the previous one) has more built-in storage and has enough permanent bunks that we no longer have to fold the beds up and down every day. The kids each have their own bunk in the rear and Traci and I have a bedroom in the front. It's a 2002 Fleetwood Pioneer 24-footer, and weighs almost 1,000 pounds less than the 21' toy hauler. For its maiden voyage we went to the Stanton Creek primitive camping area near Bullfrog at Lake Powell. I took half a day off work and we hit the road before noon. I drove the truck and Traci followed in the Jeep with the canoe on top, and we stopped for fuel and french fries at Stan's in Hanksville. When the gravel road into Stanton Creek turned into a rough dirt road I got into the Jeep and scouted ahead until we found a nice campsite. The kids stayed there while Traci and I returned to retrieve the truck and trailer. It started raining during the drive back to camp, so I drove faster than I was comfortable with just so the boys wouldn't be out in the rain for too long. I managed not to run the trailer aground but some of its contents ended up on the floor. We set up camp and began exploring our surroundings.


Camp after arriving and setting up

The dogs explore their new surroundings while Bradley picks up trash from a very trashy campsite

In the evening I grilled some dinner and then the sun made a dazzling appearance just before disappearing behind the horizon. While my family and I sat on the shore enjoying the light show to the west we almost missed another show behind us--a bright double rainbow! Chris and Dollie joined us later and we all chilled around the camp fire until late into the night.


Torrey at sunset

Colorful, stormy sunset

The whole family enjoying sunset

Bradley and the sunset

Double rainbow

Truck and trailer at night

Chris sparkin' one up

The dogs were restless early on Saturday so I let them out of the trailer for a short walk and caught the sun as it rose. I got a little more sleep, then we all had breakfast and started swimming and paddling in the lake. The clouds cleared up throughout the day and the humidity went down, making it warmer but more comfortable than the previous day. Chris and I took the canoe to an island a short distance from camp and Dollie followed in a kayak. Boulder and especially Torrey spent most of both days chasing after tiny fish in the shallow water, though I don't think either of them ever caught one. That night we turned our backs to the fire and saw a lot of meteors, satellites, and distant lightning.


Cloudy morning

Slight color from the sunrise on Saturday

Paddling the canoe full of kids and dogs

Using the dogs as ballast while I paddled solo

Boats on our own private beach

On an island looking back toward camp

Traci, Dollie, and Chris in the water

Boulder and Dollie

Bradley paddling

Chris and Dollie conked out in the afternoon heat

The Sphinx just before sunset

Big wall near Hall's Crossing with Navajo Mountain towering in the distance

Shells and pebbles on the beach

The Sphinx and colorful sky

Sunday was much like Saturday, with everyone playing in the water some more. Chris and Dollie had a longer drive so they left early in the afternoon. My family and I took our time packing up camp and rolled out by mid-afternoon. Despite taking it more slowly on the drive out, the trailer dragged at one spot and left some deep gouges in the dirt. Luckily none of the leveling jacks were damaged. The truck averaged 8.5 MPG, though with diesel being relatively cheap right now it wasn't too expensive a trip. I'm not a fan of driving long distances but it's worth it perhaps every couple of years for a trip to Lake Pal.


More paddling on Sunday morning

Leaving Lake Powell

Photo Gallery: Lake Powell - Stanton Creek

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[Vegan.Hiker]

Congrats on the new rig. Nice set up and some really cute dogs you got there.

 

[Nick]

Very nice, Dennis. Love those golden light and sunset photos in particular. That is really a great spot you got down there. I camp in Stanton frequently but it's always up top and just in and out the night before we launch. I've thought about setting a camp up like this with my brother in law in his fifth wheel camper and me, Audra and the pups beached on the pontoon. Did you see many other sites that you could do that in down there? I usually have to have something sort of sandy to put the toons on.

 

[Udink]

Although I did see a couple of fifth-wheels camped along the little inlet directly north of my camp, I wouldn't recommend taking one down that road. I'm not sure how they got in there without damage to the trailers or truck beds (or maybe they did do some damage?). I only drove down the right fork in the road though (past the 4WD Recommended sign), so maybe the left fork is better.

In the current Google Earth imagery you can see big trailers with nearby boats on the beach along the main Stanton Creek watercourse. It's gotta be doable, but I just didn't get a look at any sites other than where I camped. The water level right now is just a little bit higher than in the latest Google Earth imagery.

 

[Nick]

I've never driven a fifth wheel but his seems around the same size as your camper. Are fifth wheels harder to take off road then a bumper pull trailer?

 

[Udink]

Are fifth wheels harder to take off road then a bumper pull trailer?

They are, since part of the trailer is articulated directly over the truck bed. As the road tilts (either front-back or sideways), the truck will hit that angle first and possibly tilt the bed rails up into the trailer. I have some friends that I camp with each April/October, and they ditched their fifth-wheel shortly after the first time the truck's bed rails got crunched because we often go off-road at least a little to get away from crowds.

 

[Nick]

Good to know. That would limit things quite a bit...

 

[Jack]

My husband and I are headed down there for memorial. We just bought a 28' Keystone hideout. I would love to camp at Stanton creek but I worry trying to get down to the water could be very difficult with our trailer. Were there a lot of places along the trail that you had issues getting through with your trailer?

 

[Udink]

My husband and I are headed down there for memorial. We just bought a 28' Keystone hideout. I would love to camp at Stanton creek but I worry trying to get down to the water could be very difficult with our trailer. Were there a lot of places along the trail that you had issues getting through with your trailer?

Along the right fork in the road there were two or three places where I dragged the trailer pretty good, but luckily didn't break the leveling jacks off. I didn't go down the left fork at all, but from looking at it in Google Earth it appears to be a better road.

 

[Nick]

I can vouch for the left (main) fork being a better road. It will get you a better view before it gets rough but it probably gets just as bad once you start working your way further below high water mark.