SEARCHLIGHT NEVADA

So what’s in Searchlight Nevada that could possibly draw anyone to this area?  Well, probably not a whole lot that is for sure.  The town really has nothing in it except for two gas station, one being a truck stop with a McDonald’s in it.  There is a small Casino that must be affiliated to the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, since it’s name is Nugget Casino.  That is all you will really find in this small tiny community.  Oh there is a very small laundry mat, but don’t blink, you may actually miss it.  It also has a very small magistrate building along with a library and museum.
But what does draw folks to this area is the National Recreation Area on Mohave Lake.  Mohave Lake is part of Lake Mead and the Colorado River System.  In the National Recreation Area you have Cottonwood Cove Campground and Resort area.
cottonwood Cove Marina & Resort
Cottonwood Cove is split into two different section, all combined together in one area.  Once you enter into the NRA and paid your fee, you drive another 6 miles down the road, descending all the way towards the lake.  As you get closer to the lake, on the right side you will come to Cottonwood Cove’s first section of the campground where there is a ranger station, dump station and then on pass into varies loops of the campground.  The first loop being closed and only the middle loop open for business.  In any of these loops, you don’t get a good view of the lake, but only of the canyon walls.
As you descend yet farther down the road and closer to the lake, on the right again, you will come across a mobile home village, past that is the RV sites with full hook-up and belonging to the concessionaire.  But if you choose not to have any hook-ups, then you will veer to your left and around the bend to the NRA’s campground which is the Lower Loop and the most popular, because of being close to the lake.  Only a few chosen sites give you the perfect view of the lake and Marina.  Only bad thing, the sites are short and needs a lot of finagling to get level. 

We were fortunate to find a longer site, but it did take all the boards we had to get partially level and we still felt we were going down hill in the front, but learned to live with it for the week we were there; only because we wanted the view.
Our campsite at Cottonwood Cove
Once we were all set up, got the cell phone out and discover-no reception what-so-ever.  And TV?  Well unless you have satellite, you got no channels at all.  So hope you don’t plan on coming here to chat on the cell phone or to watch a lot of TV, because you will be greatly disappointed.  But if you come to listen to nature, I guarantee that you will be serenade by owls and coyotes and quaking ducks.
Our Nesting Great Horn Owl the Male Great Horn Owl
Once you paid the fees at the entrance station, then you can enjoy camping for an additional fee; whether you choose the concessionaire or the NRA’s (NRA’s has no hook-ups at all). launching your boat, or just enjoy the day having a picnic and hanging out at the beach
One thing we found out, camping in the lower campground got us woke up on both Friday and Saturday Night after quiet hours.  Seems folks think that coming in at Midnight or later and setting up, is a normal thing to do.  The first night wasn’t as bad as the second night.  On Friday night once they got set up, they did go inside and quiet down.  I think the kids that came in Saturday night stayed up all night long.  Both Brian and I had to wonder where the morals of the parents are, for even the wee little ones were out yelling and carrying on like it was daytime.  Now we know why most of the Seniors and what we would call responsible parents camped up above in the upper campground.  Much more quieter that was for sure.  Even the day-use seemed to stayed hopping all night long for we could occasionally hear rucus from over there.  It was way too warm to close all the windows, so it was either put up with the noise, or close up and suffocate.  Remember-no cell phone service-no help….
We did enjoy walking around the Marina and the Mobile Home Village.  Everyone seemed very nice to us.  And although we were not actually camped in the concessionaire campground, we were welcome to use the laundry mat anytime we needed to and to walk around the marina.  The Marina had 20 houseboats ranging from 50 foot to 70 foot that they rented.  They were open for us to go in and view and man it was like walking into someone’s fancy home!  the 70 foot had 4-bedroom, two full baths, a kitchen to die for.  the upper deck had a wet bar and a Jacuzzi! Oh, and I forgot what a water slide it had as well!  I can’t help wonder if it’s similar to a friend we met back in Mountain Home AR and the one they bought.
Did we even talk about the price to rent one of these luxury houseboats?  A 50 footer goes for over $500 per day, while the 70 footer (the Silver) goes for over $1300 per day; with a minimal of two days rental!!!  The price does NOT include deposit or fuel.  So how many do you think we should rent and for how long??? 

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Pictures of the 50 footer and the Silver 70 footer houseboat
All in all one thing that I can say for Cottonwood Cove Resort & Marina is that it has to be about the cleanest, up-to-date marina that either Brian or I have seen thus far in our travels.  If ever we should strike it rich, I think we would go back there and really give them our business, but for now, we will just day dream about it.