Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Between Vegas and SoCal you can’t beat the number of national recreation areas and preserves that are in our vicinity. and this just happens to be one of those gems. This little oasis is east of the strip past Lake Las Vegas and is a beautiful place to visit when you want to come as close as possible to a beach.
My family and I went during the national park week and even explored their information center which had a great amount of hands on activities and an informational movie about the benefits of the lake to Vegas and other neighboring cities that it provides water to. Can’t wait to go back again and explore the area more.

We love nature to its fullest and we are always looking for new adventures and memories .
This place is just amazing and breath taking, pictures don’t describe the beauty your eyes get to see in person, yes the water will be freezing but its all worth it specially in hot days, just wear sun screen, hat and glasses and you all set and dont forget them snacks and water .
Absolutely enjoy coming to this place when ever we get a chance, cant wait for our next time. I really recommend this place if your looking to get away and relax

Great views. just wish this place was safe to swim in. Not a fan of hearing the bacterial infestation this lake has. Still a good place to come hang out

If you are not really an expert at hiking this is a good place to do it, the terrain is not rugged, you can even bring your kids with you, just make sure they don’t go near the cliff though. The view is really nice and it’s a good place to take scenery photos. There are a lot of bikers that you’ll see so make sure to be alert. We went here when the temperature was still ok, it was a little hot but there was breeze. But I don’t suggest going here on the hotter months.

I love having information at my fingertips. One of the best sites I’ve come across in a while. This app is help me navigate through a new city.

Roads to the actual beach and docks are not paved but rocky. Drive carefully if your car is not equipped for such. I managed pretty well with my hatchback though.
There is a little dog beach (located at the ‘special events’ beach). The water is clear-​ish, but the actual beach is rocky and kinda meh. Some spots are kinda muddy and gross, but the area is breezy enough to be a nice change from the hot Vegas summer weather.
The actual docks is very nice, with lots of gulls, ducks and TONS of huge fish. Bring bread or popcorn to feed em, it’s super fun to watch them crowd around fighting for bread! The docks is also dog friendly (leashed of course) but the restaurants inside do not allow pets.
A nice weekend escape.

Take a drive on the beautiful side and make sure the road leads to this spot! Peaceful, beautiful and just like nature intended. There is so much to do and so much to see. Hiking, beach walking, boat rides, living, strolling, gazing… you name it. It is a great place for romance. There are hidden spots where you and your babe can get some alone time in. And there are great areas for the entire family. $ 20 gets you the entire day. Or $ 80 gets you and entire year at all of our National Parks around the country. Such a good buy! Hoover dam is close by.

Pretty nice park. Coming back and passing through after going to Zion so it was a bit underwhelming.
The lake is seeing a bit of a drought but it is still truly an oasis in the middle of the desert.
The entrance fee is 20 bucks so keep that in mind. If you plan on going here a bunch and any other national park, highly recommend buying the national park pass.

Camped at the Las Vegas Bay campsite over the weekend. This campground is further away from the lake but its a hidden gem. Sites are clean, spacious and located on a higher elevation, making for breathtaking sunrise views. There is a hiking trail with a skill level ‘beginner’ (my opinion). The campsite bathroom is CLEAN, the camp hosts were friendly and choosing/​paying for a site was a snap. Campsites are $ 20 a night in the area where they allow generators. There are non-​generator allowed sites as well. Noise was definitely not an issue while we were there. Other campers were polite, and my group felt at peace as we relaxed under the stars, and woke up to a beautiful sunrise. Definitely try this spot if you want to get away from it all for a bit, but still be close to all the ‘city’ amenities a short drive way.

You’d be crazy not to love this place — it’s breathtaking! Scenic views and great place to escape and be active, not far from Vegas (or the Hoover Dam). Fun for any age! Definitely a must-​visit place!

If you need a quick escape from all the glitz and gambling of Vegas this is a great option. The Lake Mead National Rec area is just a short drive east of Vegas and offers boating, fishing, hiking and beautiful scenery.
There are several entrance and exit points so check the official website for directions and information. There is a $ 20 entry fee but it is valid for 7 days. There are marinas to launch your boat or if you want to rent a boat, wave runner or house boat they are all available.
There is tons of information available on the National Park website for additional information or ideas. Enjoy the day away from all the hotels and people.

Lake Mead — Its the best for recreation and it’s our drinking water source. What could be better? There’s hiking, boating, camping, fishing, water skiing, wakeboarding, scuba diving and so much more. Why build a water park when you have this so close by???
I’m sure most of you know the normal amenities offered by this National Park Service: Boulder Beach, coves accessible by boat or vehicle, Calville Bay, boat rentals, jet ski rentals…
But here’s something different to check out at Lake Mead: St Thomas! It’s a little known treasure and worth the drive out of town! A former town that once was on the lake floor and now it is exposed.
Here’s a little background. The town was originally inhabited by Mormons who didn’t realize they were in Nevada. When NV wanted some $$, the Mormons burned the place done and left (except for one family who stayed behind).
In the early 1900s the town was settled again. But low and behold… the dam conceived. The newfound settlers were asked to leave when the lake was filled. As the story goes, the last man woke up to water at his feet and rowed a boat out of there. But true to his Mormon predecessors, he set fire to his abode before bidding adieu.
Since lake was filled, St Thomas was once only accessible to divers because it was completely underwater — 60 feet at times.
But now, the Lake level is low and this gem can be accessed by foot. It’s an easy hike and dog friendly.
Location: north on I15, exit the Valley of Fire/​Lake Mead exit. Enter lake mead, past the fee station, first right just after the fee station (there’s a sign). Take the dirt road approximately 1 – 2 miles to the trailhead with an interpretative sign. Follow the trail to the town.
Note: there is a fee to drive through the Valley of Fire and a separate fee to enter Lake Mead. The Valley of Fire fee can be avoided by going through the town of Overton, but it’s ~20 miles out of the way and not nearly as scenic!
What you see: lots of building foundations (homes, a school, church, ice cream parlor, general store…) roads, walkways, glass bottles, and cisterns.
Other info:
Don’t expect to by lakeside for this hike. You’ll have to get back in your car to experience water. With that said, bring a gallon per person & dog.
This is an easy hike. Ask the park ranger at the fee station for a map. This will be handy, as you can identify the buildings you are looking at. There aren’t any interpretative signs on the trail (it was under water). If there isn’t a ranger, you can Download a copy from the NPS website.

I love lake mead don’t get me wrong but the fee is $ 20 to get in now since jan 1 2016 :-(… and thats really expensive for lake mead … for $ 20 there better be better fishing or no more swimmers itch like last year. I can’t just drive to lake mead on a wim and feed the giant fish at the docks… i have to plan a full outing for $ 20 darn it… if I have to pay $ 20 we are spending the day there not just drive around and whatever.

Even though the lake is going down in water this doesn’t mean that there’s nothing to enjoy our there. This is a wonderful place to get away from all the city lights and big crowds! Time to relax with you loved ones and take in the breath taking scenery of this natural landscape! Many activities to do here including, boating, fish I g, bulk g, sight seeing and many more. The hiking in the recreational area is always top notch!!!
Make today and the next a great one!!!

REVIEW OF NORTHSHORE SUMMIT TRAIL
Why should you read my reviews? One reason is that some of the beautiful hiking spots that I create as a business listing only appears on my profile page, or the correct name is replaced with the name of the National Park. The Northshore Summit Trail is an example of both :’(. This is an exclusive review brought to you directly by Daniel. S.
The Northshore Summit Trail is only 30 miles from my home in Green Valley but in reality 2,000 light years from home. The trailhead is off the beautiful Northshore Drive in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area where Redstone bluffs and Muddy Mountains parallel the rolling Bitter Spring Valley at mile marker 20.
The trail is a half mile adventure with use trails extending it significantly. The goal of the hike is to reach the top of a bluff with grand views of the Muddy Mountains Wilderness Area region of the National Park. The views include the Northshore Peak, the open desert reaching out to the Muddy Mountains Wilderness Area, an overlook of the Bowl of Fire, redstone bluffs, and distant vistas of Lake Mead.
This is a moderate hike. From the parking lot the uphill climb is gradual. After a fork in the trail, as the trail continues, it becomes steep. This is a trail where you need to be sure footed. The drop down is steep. But, there is a better way to reach the summit. The fork to the right leads to a less steep trail that reaches the summit creating a circle. After reaching the top of the hill, you will see cougar rock. I named it cougar rock because it looks exactly like a cougar. The cougar watches another hiking junction. You want to turn left to climb up volcanic rocks to reach the top of the summit. Even better, if you want to extend your time in the open spaces of where Lake Mead National Recreation Area merges with the Muddy Mountains Wilderness Area, the trail leads over a few peaks eventually ending at a bluff.
The Northshore Summit Trail with the use trail over the peaks is around an hour adventure. I recommend combining it with Roger’s Spring. If you have had a rough week and want a short hike in the great outdoors I recommend the hike by itself with the scenic Northshore Drive.

We camped one night and the facilities were very clean I highly recommend the railroad tunnel trail. We ride our bikes

We stayed at Las Vegas Bay campground for 3 nights. It was excellent! Probably our favorite campgrounds from our trip. There were a couple other people there, but none very close… There are plenty of camping spaces and nobody was loud or disrespectful (looking at you, Kingman KOA). We paid a $ 10 fee to get into the park (good for 10 days), and then when we got to the campground a lovely older couple with an adorable snaggle-​toothed dog rode up on a golf cart and gave us a tag to put up on our campsite to show we paid. I think there was another fee for the campground but I don’t remember how much it was. We used our tag for the other nights and they checked on it and didn’t make us pay again so I’m guessing it was good for multiple nights? If it wasn’t, sorry! We were total camping newbies and really loved this place. The views were beautiful and the sky was great for stargazing.

Wer mehrere Tage in Las Vegas ist, sollte s nicht versäumen einen Ausflug nach Boulder City zu unternehmen. Hier befindet sich 50 Kilometer südöstlich von Las Vegas der Lake Mead und der Hoover Staudamm.
Der Lake Mead ist im Jahre 1936 als künstlicher Stausee des Colorado River entstanden. Wenn man über den Hügel von Boulder City fährt hat man vom Berg aus einen ersten schönen Blick auf den See. Noch besser ist der Blick vom Lakemead Overlook der links von der Straße abgeht.
Das Gebiet des Lake Mead ist hauptsächlich auf Tagesausflügler eingerichtet, so gibt es lediglich ein paar Hausboote mit Übernachtungsmöglichkeiten. Am Boulder Beach kann man eine Bootstour buchen oder den Lake Mead zum Baden oder Angeln nutzen.
Sehr auffällig ist der dramatische Wasserverlust, der durch die jahrelange Dürre biblischen Ausmaßes und die Wasserversorgung des Umlandes mit Millionen von Einwohnern und Touristen verursacht wurde. Das Schmelz– und Regenwasser aus den Rocky Mountains kann dies momentan nicht mehr ausgleichen Man kann dies sehr leicht am weißen Strandstreifen und den großen Inseln erkennen.
Als weiteres Highlight kann man sich den Hoover Dam anschauen mit seiner gewaltigen Staumauer. Auch hier hat man einen fantastischen Blick auf den Lake Mead.
Der Lake Mead liegt in der sogenannten Lake Mead National Recreation Area, dieses Erholungsgebiet ist unter der Verwaltung des National Park Service. Eine wirklich schöné Abwechslung zur Glitzerwelt von Las Vegas.

It is $ 10 per car entry that is good for a week. There are plenty of things to do here. Lots of hiking trails. You can swim in some areas marked but the water temp is little cold. You can kayak, scuba dive, biking, camping, fishing etc.
Lake Mead offers campground for RV’s and tents. Camping is 10 $ a night. If you are in a mood for cruise, take The Desert Princess cruise located at the marina. There are 3 different trips offered throughout the day. The cruise takes you on a tour of the hoover dam and the lake.
You will sometimes see wildlife, I have seen several big horn sheep. You can also check out the lost city museum for $ 5, it contains a lot relics and info about the area.
Definitely a place to visit if you are tired of the Strip.

Paradise! With the new construction coming on the launch ramps I don’t know what could make this lake better! Other than more water taking us to capacity it is pretty close to n perfect. The water is pefrect. Lots of places for snorkling. Beautiful Canyon walls! Camping, hiking, boating! Amazing! A lovely place to hang with friends and family!

Went too lake mead rec. area on 6÷11÷15 had a really good time a lot of nice people there relaxing enjoying life with there family good vibes

Yep, I’m gonna go ahead and give it 5 stars. Your $ 10 per vehicle entry fee is good for 7 days. And while everyone often just thinks about Lake Mead here (and the fishing, etc. that comes with that), there’s also Lake Mojave, great hiking, scenic drives, and lots of little hidden gems to discover. It’s huge! And it’s got some seriously beautiful desert views. One of my fav spots here now is Rogers Spring, a fab little gem. In short, there is so much more to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area than you are probably thinking. So get out there and explore!

great escape from Vegas and beautiful. skip the Vegas hotels and try getting back to nature on a grand scale.

Took this 60 mile scenic route from Valley of Fire to Hoover Dam. The landscape is not brilliantly hued like Valley of Fire but is a marvel in its own right. Unfortunately with the drought, you don’t see much water. The park people offer many programs if you live nearby. A coyote walked along the road in broad daylight. I also learned if you are disabled, you can tour all national parks free for life – ask the ranger about this! Bathrooms are pits – so look great on the outside and full of yucky flies on the inside. Might plan to go elsewhere.

Absolutely gorgeous place to visit if you want to step away from the crazy life on the Strip in Vegas. I would even dare to say it’s even better than the strip! :)
It’s about an hour or so away from the strip so a day trip is more than manageable. It’s absolutely breathtaking just driving up to it and the closer you get, the better the view is. Be aware that there is a fee ($ 5) to get on to the National Park but I wouldn’t really recommend this unless you’re camping/​going on a boat ride.
Further down the street is the famous Hoover Dam which absolutely took my breath away. It’s absolutely gorgeous. There is parking but you have to pay $ 10. I HIGHLY recommend this place!

A fabulous, beautiful place just about a half hour away from the bright lights of Vegas or just a skip over the state line from Arizona. The sunrises and sunsets here are gorgeous, more than worth the $ 10/​car or $ 30/​year pass to come regularly– or even just a few times. Unfortunately they only take cash, so plan ahead.
The park offers a variety of outdoor activities, both land– and water-​based, including camping, hiking, biking, and whatever you’re willing to do in the water (kayak, fish, swim, etc.). Besides fish, there’s a surprising amount of wildlife in this park– come more than a few times (or just be quiet for a while) and you’ll see all kinds of critters.
As always, take nothing but memories and leave nothing but footprints. (Side note: this includes biodegradable waste like your banana peels and apple cores, take them with you!)

Take a detour through Lake Mead park for the scenic route to the Hoover Dam. Sure it costs $ 10 bucks, but it’s a lot more interesting than the freeway.
If you’re feeling adventurous take a turn off the main road in the park and drive down to Lake Mead. From there you can really see how far the water level has dropped over the years. I saw several people taking in the beach although I thought it was a little too rocky to really enjoy a good walk or swim.

Great man made lake just outside of Las Vegas.
I have been to lake mead many times sometimes just for the day and other times to camp. It’s great to have a huge body of water in the middle of the desert. If you can, get a house boat and dock on one of the beaches and camp out for the weekend. It is so quiet and beautiful. You can see the Milky Way and millions of stars at night.
As far as daytime activities you can sail, wakeboard, water ski, sit out on the beach, and swim in one of the coves.
There is really only one shop area so I would suggest bring all your supplies/​food ahead of time especially if you plan on staying over night.
You can also get views of the Hoover damn from the water and beautiful sunsets. There are plenty of cops on boats especially during the busy summer months to keep everyone safe.

It will do for a man made lake. I’ve been to lake Tahoe and once you see that kind of beauty in a body of water nothing else really compares. Not to mention the Lake Mead keeps dropping every year, but enough doom and gloom. Lake Mead being the closest watering hole to Vegas gotta make the best of it. For those who have yet to go there, here are a few things that you can do in and around the lake. Some of them require travel, some are free.
1– Fish, there are tons of carp and catfish around the lake.
2– Hike, Lots of trails in and around the Lake, also checkout the Union Pacific Railroad tunnels. (Which is located outside of the Park and is FREE)
3– Kayak, you can adventure the Islands around the marina.
4– Scuba Dive, the water is pretty murky so i don’t know what the visibility would be, you could give it a shot.
5– Camp, Lake Mead offers a campground for RV’s as well as tents. Camping is only 10 $ a night.
6-​Take a Cruise, The Desert Princess cruise located at the marina is pretty cool. It offers 3 different trips throughout the day. The cruise takes you on a tour of the hoover dam as well as the lake. Be sure to check for discounts before you purchase your tickets.
7– Visit the lost city that was located under lake Mead. St. Thomas, was a small little town which was abandoned and flooded when Lake Mead and hoover dam were constructed. Up until a few years ago when the water level dropped the lost city reemerged. Although only the foundations of the town remain due to vandalism, it’s still a neat little ghost town to visit. You can also check out the lost city museum for $ 5, it contains a lot relics and info about the area.
That being said go out and enjoy some of these sights for yourself.

Beauty and nature combined!
Lake Mead is a beautiful place for many water sports or just to take in the beautiful scenery. The water level has gone down many feet. Anyone could notice this from the color difference on the rocky areas around the lake.
There are several marinas and launching areas. When you enter the park area, they will give you a map of the park and where the launch areas are. There are many inlets for docking your water craft once out on the water. We got lucky seeing Big Horn Sheep in one of the inlets. It was pretty fantastic.
It’s also fascinating to see the Hoover Dam from the water point of view. You can get fairly close. There are buoys to let you know when you have to stop.
If you have the opportunity, enjoy this lake!

Stumbled upon this spot after some controversial bachellor party decisions. We planned on doing the whole vegas bachellor partay thingy but naaah, no one gave a crap. After all, 3 of the 4 of us, oddly enough, spent some time in vegas prior to our trip.
We did a small detour and headed towards Lake Havasu. Completely forgot about the whole summer vacation thingy which is subject to another tale =D
Then went back towards vegas, saw some signs for a lake and baaaaaaaam. Lake Mead or some portion of it. We had no idea where we were but whatever the case, we were ready~!
Spent the whole night fishing, drinking, talking sh*t, thinking of times gone past, who’s getting married next or last, how long the marriages are going to last and a plethora of other man talk. Beautiful memories with good people w/​the exception of one. There’s always that one a-​hole at the end when we ask… Why’d we bring him??? Well the a-​hole was the bachellor, that’s why LOL.
The lake has a special place to mi corazon =)

This is a review of the dog beach experience only.
I took my dog out to Lake Mead’s Boulder Beach to see how she does in the water (she ended up freaking out a lot).
Entry is $ 5 per person in your vehicle.
The drive there is easy, although to get to the beach, we had to take our Toyota Camry onto the rocky dirt beach… which could potential damage the under carriage of the car. Next time, we are taking a 4 wheel drive like other people suggested.
Boulder Beach SPECIAL EVENTS is the only pet friendly beach! Please follow the signs.
It was a nice, breezy day today, the beginning of May. Sunny, a little hot, but the water was freezing!
Don’t even try to walk barefoot! It’s rocky with barnacles growing everywhere you step. Luckily, we had swim socks.
Would we go again? Probably not to the dog beach because my dog didn’t enjoy swimming, we don’t have a 4wd car, and it’s 45 minutes south of Las Vegas. But maybe for other recreational activities!
We shall see…
But hey, if you know of a place where I can let my dog practice swimming closer in Las Vegas, please let me know!

Went with family (rents and sis) to check it out since being newly locally to Vegas. We happened in on Sat being a free entrance fee day today witch was shocking to see this.
Clean park however they created some cool ideas to cover the trash bin covers like you see at apartments or something to make it less obiv would really clean up place.
The plus — right when you walk on the deck your greeted bye lots of sea bass and carp see pics. witch is cool since I do like sea bass
Not shure on boat renting prices but will have to look into it hopefully not as pricey as California rentals are, They also offer helicopter rides — priced not shure almost considered since park was free today.
I will be back to test hiking trails and points.
p/​s bring bread or popcorn to feed fish at dockside.

Another natural treasure in our backyard. Well, it’s not really in MY backyard, but I have gotten used to the drive from my ‘hood in Summerlin out to Boulder Beach over the past 4 years. When I got into triathlon, I started training at Lake Mead regularly, often making the drive in the dark, at the crack of dawn, to beat the heat in the summer. I’ve witnessed many a sunrise here and it’s something you just have to experience for yourselves. There are several endurance events held here, from triathlons to cycling events to 5Ks, half-​marathons, and marathons. Boulder Beach is usually the starting line or jump-​off point for these events, too. It’s also the place where many of us meet to train– parking down by the water, swimming in the lake, as well as bike/​run from there. If you don’t want to ride on the road, there is a fabulous paved trail that you can access, part of the River Mountain Trail Loop. You will see cyclists, runners, and walkers taking advantage of this trail. You may even see a snake or coyote, too, so watch out — Suzy H. and I were cycling along last Sunday and two coyotes crossed our path. We just kept cycling and they left us alone, going on their merry way someplace else.
If you haven’t been to this natural playground, especially if you’re a local, you need to give it a go. There’s lots to do and see here and fun for kids of all ages.
Pro Tips:
–The fee station is never open when I drive through before 6:00am. It’s not like I’m trying to avoid paying, I’m just letting you know.
–It’s $ 10 per vehicle if the fee station is open-​the pass is good for 7 days. Get an annual pass for $ 30 if you’re there a lot – that’s what I usually do.
–For more info about the lake and all it has to offer, click here: