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Lake
Mead
| Established: |
1964 | Note: America's 1st NRA, established as Boulder Dam National Recreation Area, under joint use agreements between NPS and Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior, October 13, 1936, and July 18, 1947. Redesignated Lake Mead National Recreation Area, August 11, 1947. Formally established in law by an act of October 8, 1964 (78 Stat. 1039) |
| Location: |
Southern Nevada |
| Acres: |
1,495,665 |
The nation's first
and most popular National Recreation Area which greets
7.5 million visitors each year. Almost double the visitation of the most visited National Parks (ie Great Smoky and the Grand Canyon). Lake Mead is the largest
man-made lake created by the second highest dam in the
country. The Hoover Dam towers 726 feet above Lake Mead.
Completed in 1936, visitors can tour the dam and its power
plant daily. An elevator descends 520 feet below the surface
for a first hand look at its massive generators. The dam was
constructed to supply water and hydroelectric power to the
major cities of California, Nevada, and Arizona. Lake Mead
that was the product of this dam is 110 miles long with 820
miles of shoreline. A welcome oasis in the middle of the
three largest deserts in the U.S. ie. the Mojave, Sonoran,
and Great Basin Deserts.
NV, Stewart's Point, Northwest shore of Lake Mead.
Highlights of the Lake
Mead NRA are its contrasting landscapes. The brilliant
hue its bronze mountains and steep walled canyons that
overlook Lake Mead. The Lakeshore and Northshore
Scenic Byways afford your best opportunities to
gaze at these magnificent settings. These byways ride
the edge of the lake and contain numerous panoramic
vistas. Watch for Bighorn sheep which occupy the nearby
cliffs as well as bobcats, coyotes, and mule deer that
roam throughout the NRA.
Lake Mead has eight
campgrounds with over 1,000 sites. Most of them located
directly on the water with boat ramps and marinas. The
camping fee is $8. Boulder Beach, Cottonwood Cove, Echo
Bay, Hemmenway, Katherine, and Temple Bar each have over
150 campsites.
Fifty miles northeast
of Las Vegas on I-15 and Rt 169, 6 miles from Lake Mead
are the flaming red sandstone sculptures of the Valley
of Fire State Park. The 46,000 acre park is
Nevada's largest and is a favorite among travelers who
get a close up view of these red sandstone monoliths.
Extensive uplifting and faulting over millions of years
has created domes and depressions that have eroded into
the artistic formations seen today. The Anasazi were
among the first to occupy the terrain 2,000 years ago.
Petroglyphs of these inhabitants dispersed throughout the
park. The campground has 50 sites ($4) with about half
containing water hookups. Lake Mead NRA, 601 Nevada
Highway, Boulder City, Nevada 89005 (702) 293-8907.
Valley of Fire State Park (702) 397-2088. www.nps.gov/lame
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Copyright ©1994-2005 Charles A. Read and ScenicUS. All Rights Reserved.
Please send any questions/ comments/ suggestions/ directly to
the author Charles A. Read
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