India, April 4 -- Lake Powell doesn't feel real at first; it appears like a dream. In the middle of a sunbaked desert on the Arizona-Utah border sits a massive lake that stretches for miles, carving its way through red rock walls that glow even brighter in the afternoon sun.

I'll never forget the first time I laid eyes on Lake Powell. My dad had mapped out what he promised would be the ultimate summer adventure: our whole family heading deep into southern Utah to live on a houseboat for a week with no cell service and triple-digit temperatures. Nothing but open water, hidden coves, towering canyon walls, and the kind of sunsets that make you feel like you're on a movie set. The whole thing sounded ambitious, but the second we rolled into...