The National Park Service (NPS) put out these guidelines for anchoring your houseboat in the Arizona and Utah areas. Please follow them to help preserve your lake’s resources and ensure safety for future boaters.

• At a slow idle speed, approach a sandy beach in a location protected from wind or away from large areas of open water, like a cove.
• Position the boat just far enough offshore so its bouncing does not create a divot on shore. Or place an old tire under the bow to protect the rock (and your boat) from being damaged.
• Place anchors on the beach at a 45 degree angle from the cleats on the stern of the houseboat. for more stability, place similar lines from the cleats midway down the sides of the houseboat.
• Dig 2-foot holes and bury the anchors with the points down and toward the boat.
• Be sure to check the anchor lines every morning/night for tightness. You may have to adjust lines as the lake rises or falls.
• When you leave, fill in the holes on the beach with sand and leave the area looking like you were never there. This is how temporarily burying anchors in sand will leave the area unimpaired for future generations, a requirement for all NPS lands. Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.

For more information, check out the NPS website.