How to get there
The road out to Alstrom Point starts in Big Water, Utah. It is the starting point for trans versing the Grand Staircase via the Smokey Mountain Road. (More coming on that trip). The total distance from Big Water to Alstrom Point is about 35 miles. Give yourself at least half a day and make sure to check local weather conditions.
Do not attempt this trip if it has rained or rain is in the forecast.
The first leg of the trip is a gravel road that is plowed and fairly smooth. This part can be travelled in any 2-wheel drive car or truck. The views heading out to the point are impressive. The cliffs offer a glimpse of history and the erosion that is always taking place. There are many places to stop and look at the balancing boulders.
At about 18 miles from Big Water, you will see a sign for road #264. This part can also be done with a 2-wheel drive vehicle but starts to get more difficult. You are about 5 miles from the point, but the last 3 miles are sand and the last 1/2 mile is for high clearance vehicles only. Most of the video below is from the cab of our EarthCruiser. I slow down the video at some of the more difficult points to show how rough the road at the end is.
Our First Trip
I have been blessed to visit Alstrom Point on three different occasions. The first adventure came in early June 2019. Cheryl, Riley and I travelled out to the point on a very hot day. The temperature when we arrived was 99 degrees. As we came over the rise from the rough dirt road leading in, the views just hit me. I have camped in many places with beautiful views, but nothing like this. The first time you see Lake Powel's blue water below and the surrounding red rock, its surreal. The video below was taken from my phone about 30 minutes after setting up camp.
We had planned on camping here multiple nights, but in the morning, Riley (our Australian Shepard) became very ill. We immediately packed up and headed to the nearest veterinarian clinic. This was located in Page, Arizona. The vet was great, and Riley was feeling better in no time. When we left, I knew that I wanted to go back and spend some more time at the point.
The Second Trip
The following year, a group of friends and I met up in Moab, Utah and travelled south to Prescott, Arizona. After travelling thru the Grand Staircase, we stopped at Alstrom Point. The weather was beautiful that day, so I decided to do something that I very rarely do.... I stayed 2 nights at the same campsite! The second part of the first video above was taken on this trip. It also shows the views from a drone video as we are leaving.
As you can see from the picture above, the colors of the sunsets can be amazing at the point. There were four rigs on this trip, and we had plenty of space at the rim. We set up camp, flew the drone a little and watched the clouds go by. Even Riley enjoyed the views.
The Third Trip
We had a group of 4 that traveled with us to Alstrom Point for the third trip. Most of us started in Anzo Borrego, California and we travelled north this time to Escalante, Utah. This was the first time to the point for everyone else in the group. We decided to change it up a bit and stay in a different campsite. This one was out a little further on a ledge with just enough room for our rigs. I took the video below from my phone walking up to the campsite from the ledge.
Notice how the water levels from the first video to the third video have dropped. Lake Powell is having a water shortage. The lake level is at its lowest since they put the dam in. I really hope this reverses itself, a lot of communities downstream depend on that water.
Camping
There are many camp sites at Alstrom Point, but absolutely no services. It is dispersed camping with no cell, no GPS and no facilities. Bring enough food and water to stay a couple days in case of an emergency. If you go and stay at the point, please pack out everything you came with.
The rays from the Sun started coming into the EarthCruiser early. I got out of bed and started to make the morning coffee. As I put the coffee pot on the stove, I realized how magical this place is. I know of no other camping spot that has these kind of views and solitude. Brent Conklin
Alstrom Point is a special place, one that is worth the trip out. I hope to make more trips to watch the sunrise and sunsets from this special place. I hope you also get to experience the magic of Alstrom Point.
Brent Conklin
Whiskey7Backroads
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