Something is going on out there in Big Water (big sand).
In the midst of the familiar boat storages and that magnificent visitor center: a few new structures have appeared, their silhouettes paying homage to the Kaiparowits Plateau that rises beyond the town limits. Surrounding them are plenty of colorful canopies, picnic tables, and charcoal barbecuers. And what about that golden sign glowing in the air at night?
A dream so many years in the making has reached completion. A new RV Park and Campground is now open in the Grand Circle~ Lake Powell Gateway RV Resort...
Family Owned and Operated
The Rankins’ first began settling in Big Water in the early 90s. Included in our bunch was Raymond, who came on scene with his young family in 1993 to raise them in a place where grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins were the neighbors. A General Contractor, Ray set about building many of the structures still in use in Big Water today: the addition on Big Water School, The Visitor Center, the Fire Department, and many of the boat storages and homes around town. He would later go on to open Glen Canyon Construction, which saw him traveling heavily throughout the greater Grand Circle Region building hotels.
In 2015, sorely missing his rural lifestyle in Big Water: Ray went to the drawing board with a new project in mind: an RV Resort. He was dealt a devastating blow when, a year and a half into the process of designing it, the largest landowner in Big Water (State Trust Lands / SITLA) declared they would not sell him the land he had been negotiating on. The hunt for a location was reignited, and soon yielded promising results. The new spot offered highway 89 frontage, and was even better suited for an RV park. Back to the drawing board, Ray began a fresh new design with the land in his possession. Construction on Lake Powell Gateway RV Resort broke ground, and by late 2021 was fully underway.
Today
All 32 spaces are now complete and available for nightly rent. They offer full hookups, picnic tables, shade canopies, and charcoal bbq / smokers. There’s free wi-fi throughout the Resort. The bathrooms and showers building is really something- featuring beautiful stonework along with murals of Antelope Canyon painted by the artist Erik Hoogen.
The Campground Store and Game Room opened to the general public in February, 2025. The store has a little bit of everything: a beer cave, outdoor supplies for camping, fishing, and rv’ing; basic first aid kits, basic automotive supplies, staple grocery items, plus a good variety of snacks and drinks. The Game Room offers billiards, air hockey, and a 1980s-1990s era game table with 3000 of the best 80s and 90s arcade games. Admire another of Erik Hoogen’s murals- this one of The Wave, on the wall over the air hockey table.
Our guests who book a space with us at Lake Powell Gateway RV Resort get exclusive access to the swimming pool, spa, playground, and horseshoe pits that will all be ready just in time for the warmer months (around the last week of March, 2025).
We’ve got so much more in store. The coming years will see a mini golf course, dog run, and music stage implemented, as well as occasional Farmers Market / Vendor Fairs in the summer months.
Now approaching 40 years in Big Water, our family is more motivated than ever to create jobs and activities for the community we prize. We encourage you to come say hello at our Campground Store and Game Room- it would be great to find out more about how we can serve you, and to celebrate this beautiful region together with locals and guests alike.
We hope to see you there.
- CAMPGROUND STORE AND GAME ROOM – WINTER HOURS
- Mon – Fri: 9am to 7pm
- Sat: 9am to 6pm
- Sun: 9am to 2pm
