This one-armed explorer named a canyon that no longer exists in Arizona

Powell’s Perilous 1869 Journey Through Glen Canyon

In 1869, a one-armed Civil War vet named John Wesley Powell did what no one thought possible. He led nine men down the wild Colorado River in wooden boats.

The trip hit trouble fast when one boat sank at Disaster Falls. Still, they pushed on.

By July 28, they found a place so grand that Powell wrote in his journal, “We decide to call it Glen Canyon. ” Only six men made it to the end of the 930-mile trip.

Today, Lake Powell sits where Powell once rowed, and Alstrom Point gives you the best view of this historic water path through the American West.

A One-Armed Veteran Assembled His Crew for an Impossible Journey

John Wesley Powell, who lost his arm fighting at Shiloh, gathered nine bold men in 1869 to explore the Colorado River for the first time.

They packed four wooden boats built for rough waters: the Emma Dean (Powell’s boat), Kitty Clyde’s Sister, No Name, and Maid of the Canyon.

Powell got money from Illinois State Normal University and the Illinois Natural History Society for this risky trip through unmapped land.

Locals Bet These Men Would Never Come Back Alive

On May 24, 1869, Powell and his team left from Green River Station in Wyoming Territory.

His crew included his brother Walter, O.G. Howland, Seneca Howland, William Dunn, George Bradley, Andrew Hall, William Hawkins, Jack Sumner, and Frank Goodman. Railroad workers and locals watched from the riverbank.

Many bet money the explorers would die, thinking the unknown waters ahead were too rough to survive.

The No Name Boat Smashed to Pieces Just Two Weeks In

Trouble hit on June 8 when they reached what they later called Disaster Falls. The No Name boat hit rocks and broke apart.

The crew lost key supplies including food, clothes, and tools needed for mapping.

After this scary crash, Frank Goodman quit the trip at the Uinta River, leaving nine men who chose to keep going despite losing so much.

Powell Mapped Everything While Dodging Rapids

Throughout the trip, Powell wrote detailed notes about rock shapes and collected samples from canyon walls. The team named landmarks they passed, including Flaming Gorge, Desolation Canyon, and Cataract Canyon.

Powell used a sextant he saved from the wrecked No Name to find their location. His work created the first good maps of this area, which until then was blank on American maps.

The Canyon Walls Opened Into Beautiful Glens

The group reached a stunning new section on July 28, 1869, which Powell called Glen Canyon.

He wrote about it as “a land of beauty and glory” with unique side canyons, alcoves, and colorful sandstone walls that glowed in the sun.

Powell picked the name “Glen Canyon” because of the many glen-like spots carved into the canyon walls by water over millions of years.

Hidden Music Temples and Unknown Plants Filled the Canyon

Powell and his men found odd rock features throughout Glen Canyon, including natural bridges, arches, and what Powell called “music temples” where sounds echoed in special ways.

The team gathered plants and animals Western scientists had never seen before.

The big difference between Glen Canyon’s calm waters and the wild rapids elsewhere surprised Powell.

Native Tribes Shared Knowledge About the Mysterious River

During their trip, Powell’s team met with Ute, Paiute, and other native groups who knew the area well. The men wrote down native place names and learned about local customs and survival skills.

These meetings helped not just their current journey but also Powell’s later work.

Years after the trip, Powell used this knowledge when he led the Bureau of Ethnology and studied Native American cultures.

Food Ran Out as They Faced the Grand Canyon

By August 5, the group reached the mouth of the Little Colorado River, marking the entrance to the Grand Canyon. They barely had any food left, with only moldy flour, dried apples, and coffee.

The crew faced more dangerous rapids with no idea what waited around each turn.

Their boats got more damaged each day, and the men grew weaker from hunger and tired as they entered the hardest part of their journey.

Three Men Chose to Hike Out Rather Than Face More Rapids

A key moment came on August 28 when three men made a big choice. O.G. Howland, Seneca Howland, and William Dunn thought the river ahead looked too dangerous.

They left at what became known as Separation Rapid, planning to hike to Mormon settlements.

Powell and the five other men took a chance on staying with the boats and going downstream, despite their fears about what lay ahead.

The Survivors Reached Civilization After 930 Miles

On August 30, 1869, Powell and his five crew members finally reached the mouth of the Virgin River, finishing their journey. They had traveled about 930 miles through mostly unknown land over three months.

News spread quickly across the country about their survival and amazing feat.

The three men who left at Separation Rapid weren’t so lucky – they died when Shivwit Paiutes mistook them for miners who had killed a tribal woman.

A Massive Lake Now Covers Powell’s "Land of Beauty"

Powell returned to the Colorado River for a second expedition in 1871-72, which produced better maps and documentation. His reports shaped water management policies throughout the American West for generations.

In the 1960s, the Glen Canyon Dam created Lake Powell, submerging many features that Powell first wrote about.

Today, visitors to spots like Alstrom Point look out over a vast lake named for the one-armed explorer who first documented the canyon that lies beneath its waters.

Visiting Alstrom Point, Arizona

Alstrom Point in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area gives you views of where Powell and his crew navigated the Colorado River in 1869.

You’ll need a high-clearance 4WD vehicle for the 24-mile unpaved Smoky Mountain Road from Big Water, Utah, about 90 minutes from Page, Arizona.

There’s no entrance fee and you can camp for free at the point. Visit during sunrise or sunset for the best views of Powell’s historic route.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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