Look what's back! Lake Powell ferry returns after years of low water levels

The Charles Hall Ferry is returning to Lake Powell to once again provide service after being inactive for years due to low water levels.

Starting Thursday, the ferry will transport motor vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians across the waterway between the popular Bullfrog and Halls Crossing areas. Instead of the current 2-hour drive between the ports, the ferry will be a 30-minute boat ride.

The ferry service has been out of operation for years due to low water levels, with the vessel having undergone continued retrofitting in the meantime.

"We appreciate the partnership with the GCNRA and our contracted operators and repair crews," says UDOT Region Four Senior Communications Manager Kevin Kitchen. "It takes more than just good water levels to keep the ferry operational in a remote desert setting.”

According to GCNRA Superintendent Michelle Kerns: “We are thankful for our long-standing partnerships with UDOT who provides the ferry, and our concessioner Aramark, who provides the operational staff. After a three-year pause, Lake Powell’s water levels again accommodate the ferry’s loading ramps. We are very pleased to join with our partners in offering the ferry service to our many visitors again.”

In June, the Water and Climate Report for Utah released a report that found that Lake Powell was only at 36% capacity.