Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Swim, boat, hike, cycle, camp and fish at America’s first and largest national recreation area. With striking landscapes and brilliant blue waters, this year-round playground spreads across 1.5 million acres of mountains, canyons, valleys and two vast lakes. See the Hoover Dam from the waters of Lake Mead or Lake Mohave, or find solitude in one of the park's nine wilderness areas.
By car you can drive to one of the park's many entrances. The six main entrances to Lake Mead are as follows: Northshore, Lake Mead Boulevard, Lake Mead Parkway, and Boulder, Temple Bar and Meadview. For the southern sections of the park, near Lake Mohave, there are entrance stations at Willow Beach, Katherine Landing and Cottonwood Cove.
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Boating
- Motorized Boating
- Sailing
- Jet Skiing
- Boat Tour
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
- Fishing
- Freshwater Fishing
- Food
- Dining
- Picnicking
- Flying
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Self-Guided Tours - Auto
- Bus/Shuttle Guided Tour
- Boat Tour
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horseback Riding
- Hunting and Gathering
- Hunting
- Paddling
- Canoeing
- Kayaking
- Stand Up Paddleboarding
- Junior Ranger Program
- SCUBA Diving
- Snorkeling
- Swimming
- Freshwater Swimming
- Water Skiing
- Wildlife Watching
- Park Film
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
- Archeology
- Ruins
- Aviation
- Dams
- Industry
- Mining
- Native American Heritage
- Schools and Education
- Science, Technology and Innovation
- Transportation
- Roads, Routes and Highways
- Westward Expansion
- Animals
- Birds
- Cats (wild)
- Fish
- Tortoises and Turtles
- Canyons and Canyonlands
- Geology
- Groundwater
- Aquifers
- Freshwater Springs
- Geothermal
- Hot Springs
- Lakes
- Mountains
- Natural Sounds
- Night Sky
- River and Riparian
- Rock Landscapes and Features
- Scenic Views
- Trails
- Water Trails
- Unique Species
- Rare
- Endangered
- Watersheds
- Wilderness
Black Canyon at Lake Mead NRA
Visit Black Canyon Water Trail for rafting or kayaking
Redstone Picnic Area Lake Mead NRA
There are many picnic areas at Lake Mead NRA
Boating at lakes Mead and Mohave
Boating is a popular activity at lakes Mead and Mohave
Tour Operators Guide You through the Park
There are many tour operators to provide you with an excellent visit to Lake Mead NRA.
Bighorn Sheep Enjoying the View at Lake Mead NRA
With wilderness comes wildlife. Bighorn sheep can be spotted at most areas of the park.