Lake Mead is surrounded by the National Recreation Area. The NRA provides many camping, boating, hiking, and scenic driving around Lake Mead. The land is so diversely divided with it’s volcanic mountains, and high desert look.
When we arrived here at Lake Mead, we were excited about the many opportunities of maybe putting our canoe in in different water inlets and doing some exploring.
When we saw the lake for the first time, Brian sad: “Where’s the water”? Lake Mead is so far down that I’m surprised that there are any boats left on the lake, including big houseboats over at Callville Bay.
Many boat ramps are closed around the lake, with only a few access left open to the Lake. Concessionaire have lost business due to the low lake levels. Reason that the lake is so low is because of past snow melting from high country hasn’t been enough to keep the Colorado River flowing where is should be, past droughts, and also Lake Mead is a major power plant for nearby towns and communities.
Lake Mead & Hemenway Harbor
The biggest attraction to the Lake Mead is probably Hoover Dam. Hoover Dam is one of the largest Dam’s around and is supported by the Black Canyon Mountain walls.
Hoover Dam
BOATING: Hemenway Harbor, Callville Bay, Echo Bay are about the only active boat ramps left here on lake Mead. the boat ramps at places like Las Vegas Bay,Boulder Beach and Government Wash are closed. It’s sad to look at these boat ramps, for they appeared to be fairly new yet and probably will never be used again, unless of high lake levels due to record flooding. We found no beach acess to speak of, so swimming, I guess if you want to swim, you will walk a L-O-N-G ways down to the Lake or jump off a boat.
CAMPING: Camping is allowed at Boulder Beach, Las Vegas Bay, Callville Bay, Government Wash, and Echo Bay. Government Wash, is the only free camping with toilets and dumpsters, but no water or dump station. Most come to Las Vegas Bay to dump and fill. Camping is $10.00 per night with no hook-ups and half price if you have a Golden Age/Access or the American The Beautiful passports for Seniors or disables.
Our Site at Las Vegas Bay
If you are the social bug and like to visit with other campers, then I suggest Boulder Beach. It has the most sites and very busy and active with many RV’ers. If you still like to be a social bug, but would like a little more peace and quiet, then Las Vegas Bay where you will here the coyotes at night, and if you are lucky, you will get an outside site with a fantastic view of the canyon and of Las Vegas Bay water way. If want something totally out of the way, and secluded, the Echo Bay may be the place for you. Even though there is a small marina and concessionaire there, it’s still very primitive and any disturbance you might get will probably be a wild donkey going through your site. Callville Bay has a concessionaire and it appeared to be quiet, but with the activity of the marina near by.
There are several large rigs in these campgrounds, the sites are not large by any means and it takes time and patients to get into a site without sticking out into the roadway. You are just about guaranteed to brush against a bush or two with the side of your rig.
One clue I will share: If you are a TV fanatic and want to watch your TV without Satellite, the one and ONLY place you will get ANY reception will be at Las Vegas Bay. As for cell phones, reception was good but not the best at Boulder Beach and excellent at Las Vegas Bay; we have Verizon. Anywhere else-forget it-won’t work.
HIKING: There are many hiking trails around Lake Mead. Depending on your speed and what you like to do there is from easy to moderate to difficult. We even found some fishing trails that we explored on and found great views and awesome sites.
Las Vegas Bay along a Fishing Trail
The one that I would suggest that is a must is the Historic Railroad Trail. The trail tells of the history of the building of the Dam and how they brought in the supplies by train. There are 5 tunnels that you will come across. Once you enter the last tunnel (heading towards the Dam), you might want to consider going back. You can get to the Dam and to the Memorial Bridge/Highway, but it is a very long hike. Take plenty of water and even a snack with you.
Historic Railroad Trail
some of the other interesting trails that we enjoyed was Redstone Dune Trail, Northshore Summit Trail (which you got an excellent view of “Bowl of Fire”), and the Bluff Trails. The Wetland Trail was a bit disappointing, because there is no longer a wetland to view. The only thing that we got to see was the rushing water way from Las Vegas Bay with a warning sign that the water run off was from sewage runoffs and such from Las Vegas-that is why it’s called Las Vegas Bay….
Redstone Dune Trail
N. Summit Trail/Bowl of Fire
Wetland Trail/Las Vegas Bay
We did miss going to Valley Of The Fire on the North side of Lake Mead, and was told that is a must-to-do. So the next time we are back in this area, that will a “must” for us. We also didn’t take the canoe below the Dam, for we need a special permit, and they only allow so many per day to launch below the Dam. So again, that will be for the next time we come.
When we arrived here at Lake Mead, we were excited about the many opportunities of maybe putting our canoe in in different water inlets and doing some exploring.
When we saw the lake for the first time, Brian sad: “Where’s the water”? Lake Mead is so far down that I’m surprised that there are any boats left on the lake, including big houseboats over at Callville Bay.
Many boat ramps are closed around the lake, with only a few access left open to the Lake. Concessionaire have lost business due to the low lake levels. Reason that the lake is so low is because of past snow melting from high country hasn’t been enough to keep the Colorado River flowing where is should be, past droughts, and also Lake Mead is a major power plant for nearby towns and communities.
Lake Mead & Hemenway HarborThe biggest attraction to the Lake Mead is probably Hoover Dam. Hoover Dam is one of the largest Dam’s around and is supported by the Black Canyon Mountain walls.
Hoover DamBOATING: Hemenway Harbor, Callville Bay, Echo Bay are about the only active boat ramps left here on lake Mead. the boat ramps at places like Las Vegas Bay,Boulder Beach and Government Wash are closed. It’s sad to look at these boat ramps, for they appeared to be fairly new yet and probably will never be used again, unless of high lake levels due to record flooding. We found no beach acess to speak of, so swimming, I guess if you want to swim, you will walk a L-O-N-G ways down to the Lake or jump off a boat.
CAMPING: Camping is allowed at Boulder Beach, Las Vegas Bay, Callville Bay, Government Wash, and Echo Bay. Government Wash, is the only free camping with toilets and dumpsters, but no water or dump station. Most come to Las Vegas Bay to dump and fill. Camping is $10.00 per night with no hook-ups and half price if you have a Golden Age/Access or the American The Beautiful passports for Seniors or disables.
Our Site at Las Vegas BayIf you are the social bug and like to visit with other campers, then I suggest Boulder Beach. It has the most sites and very busy and active with many RV’ers. If you still like to be a social bug, but would like a little more peace and quiet, then Las Vegas Bay where you will here the coyotes at night, and if you are lucky, you will get an outside site with a fantastic view of the canyon and of Las Vegas Bay water way. If want something totally out of the way, and secluded, the Echo Bay may be the place for you. Even though there is a small marina and concessionaire there, it’s still very primitive and any disturbance you might get will probably be a wild donkey going through your site. Callville Bay has a concessionaire and it appeared to be quiet, but with the activity of the marina near by.
There are several large rigs in these campgrounds, the sites are not large by any means and it takes time and patients to get into a site without sticking out into the roadway. You are just about guaranteed to brush against a bush or two with the side of your rig.
One clue I will share: If you are a TV fanatic and want to watch your TV without Satellite, the one and ONLY place you will get ANY reception will be at Las Vegas Bay. As for cell phones, reception was good but not the best at Boulder Beach and excellent at Las Vegas Bay; we have Verizon. Anywhere else-forget it-won’t work.
HIKING: There are many hiking trails around Lake Mead. Depending on your speed and what you like to do there is from easy to moderate to difficult. We even found some fishing trails that we explored on and found great views and awesome sites.
Las Vegas Bay along a Fishing Trail The one that I would suggest that is a must is the Historic Railroad Trail. The trail tells of the history of the building of the Dam and how they brought in the supplies by train. There are 5 tunnels that you will come across. Once you enter the last tunnel (heading towards the Dam), you might want to consider going back. You can get to the Dam and to the Memorial Bridge/Highway, but it is a very long hike. Take plenty of water and even a snack with you.
Historic Railroad Trailsome of the other interesting trails that we enjoyed was Redstone Dune Trail, Northshore Summit Trail (which you got an excellent view of “Bowl of Fire”), and the Bluff Trails. The Wetland Trail was a bit disappointing, because there is no longer a wetland to view. The only thing that we got to see was the rushing water way from Las Vegas Bay with a warning sign that the water run off was from sewage runoffs and such from Las Vegas-that is why it’s called Las Vegas Bay….
Redstone Dune Trail
N. Summit Trail/Bowl of Fire
Wetland Trail/Las Vegas BayWe did miss going to Valley Of The Fire on the North side of Lake Mead, and was told that is a must-to-do. So the next time we are back in this area, that will a “must” for us. We also didn’t take the canoe below the Dam, for we need a special permit, and they only allow so many per day to launch below the Dam. So again, that will be for the next time we come.
We just love those old rails to trails hiking trails.
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