Lake Mead National Recreation Area (NRA) offers a wealth of things to do and places to go year-round. Its huge lakes cater to boaters, swimmers, sunbathers and fishermen while its desert rewards hikers, wildlife photographers and roadside sightseers. Three of America’s four desert ecosystems the Mojave, the Great Basin and the Sonoran Deserts meet in Lake Mead NRA. As a result, this seemingly barren area contains a surprising variety of plants and animals, some of which may be found nowhere else in the world.
History & Culture
Lake Mead is America’s largest man-made reservoir. It is named for Dr. Elwood Mead, U. S. Reclamation Commissioner between 1924 and 1936. Lake Mead National Recreation Area was established October 8, 1964. Lake Mead backs up 110 miles behind Hoover Dam which was completed in 1935, thus creating this huge reservoir. Construction of Hoover Dam began in 1931 and the last concrete was poured in 1935, two years ahead of schedule. President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the dam on September 30,1935. The power plant structures were completed in 1936 and the first generator began commercial operation in October of that year. The 17th and final generator went into commercial operation in 1961.
Hoover Dam was without precedent, the greatest dam constructed in its day. An arch-gravity structure rising 726 feet above bedrock, Hoover is still the Western Hemisphere’s highest concrete dam. It is 660 feet thick at its base, 45 feet thick at its crest and stretches 1,244 feet across the Black Canyon. There are 4.4 million cubic yards of concrete in the dam, power plant and related structures.
Hoover Dam pioneered the Bureau of Reclamation’s efforts in multiple-purpose water resources development. The dam controls floods while it stores water for irrigation, municipal and industrial uses. The dam also provides hydroelectric power generation, recreation and fish and wildlife habitat.
Lake Mead can store nearly 2 years of average Colorado River flow, about 28.5 million acre-feet of water. (An acre foot of water is 325,851 gallons, or enough to cover an acre to a depth of one foot.) This water is released in a regulated, year-round flow as needed.
Recreation
Several paved roads wind through the dramatic desert scenery of Lake Mead NRA country. Towering, stark mountains, plateaus, desert basins of cactuses and creosote bush and vertical-walled canyons are some of the sights motorists can discover. Shaded picnic areas with tables, water, fire grills and restrooms are located throughout the area. Short desert hikes lead to places you will never see from a boat or car. Longer hikes demand careful planning; consult a topographical map and a park ranger. Always carry water; one gallon per day per person is advised. With Lakes Mead and Mohave as the central focus, visitors to Lake Mead NRA may enjoy a variety of water recreation activities in a rugged and picturesque setting. Lakes Mead and Mohave offer some of the country’s best sport fishing. Boating , waterskiing are favorite activities on the broad expanses of open water, along with kayaking and canoeing.
Hiking
Although most visitors are attracted to Lake Mead National Recreation Area because of Lakes Mead and Mohave, more than 87% of the park protects a vast area of the eastern Mojave Desert. Perhaps the best way to explore this diverse ecosystem is on foot, traveling across open expanses of rock formations that contain all the colors of the rainbow. Here, canyons and washes abound, offering a challenge to even the most experienced hiker.
The best season for hiking is November through March when temperatures are cooler. Hiking during the day time in the summer months is not recommended because temperatures can reach 120 degrees F in the shade. Ranger guided hikes are offered year round.
Traveler Facts
Contact Information
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
601 Nevada Highway
Boulder City, NV 89005
Phone: 702-293-8907
Operating Hours & Seasons
Lake Mead National Recreation Area is open year-round, 24 hours, 7 days a week.
Visitor Center
The visitor center at Lake Mead National Recreation Area is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.
Weather/Climate
One of the many aspects of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area that continually draws visitors is its good weather. Many people come just to relax in the land of the sun. Refugees from states hit hard by winter’s icy clutch often flee to this area to spend a mild winter. Sunbathers and water skiers spend summers here to toast in the 110 degree F plus temperatures. The area generally has less than 5 inches of annual rainfall. Water temperatures may range from 45 degrees F to 85 degrees F at different times of the year.
