About Lake Mead
Experience outdoor thrills, striking landscapes, and brilliant blue waters. This year-round recreation area spreads across 1.5 million acres of mountains, canyons, valleys and two vast reservoirs. Visitors come here for scenic drives, biking, hiking, boating, fishing, camping, and much more.
From the National Park Service.
- Region
- Southwest
- States
- Arizona and Nevada
- Designation
- National Recreation Area
- Entrance fee
- $25, private vehicle
- Trail data for this park is still being added.
- Places for this park are still being added.
Know before you go
Fees, hours, weather and getting to Lake Mead.
Entrance fees
- $25 Private Vehicle Admits a private non-commercial vehicle for 1-7 days.
- $20 Motorcycle
- $15 Per Person
- $15 Non-commercial Groups
- Free Education/Academic Groups
Passes
- $45 Annual Entrance - Park
Hours
All Park Hours
Open 24 hours a day, every day.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please note that while the majority of the park is accessible at all hours, our Visitor Center operates on a specific schedule. Be sure to plan your visit accordingly, as the Visitor Center is open during designated hours to provide you with valuable information, maps, and assistance from our knowledgeable staff.
Weather and when to go
Spring (April, May and June): Daytime highs 80 °F to 98 °F. Nighttime lows 50 °F to 66 °F Summer* (July, August and September): Daytime highs 89 °F to 103 °F (It can get up to 117 °F.) Fall (October, November and December): Daytime highs 59 °F to 83 °F. Nighttime lows 32 °F to 50 °F. Winter (January, February and March) Daytime highs 57 °F to 69 °F. Nighttime lows 30 °F to 40 °F. *Summer can be a dangerous time due to excessive heat. Some trails are closed for public safety.
Getting there
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.
Contact the park
- Address
- Lake Mead Visitor Center, 10 Lakeshore Rd, Boulder City, NV 89005
- Phone
- (702) 293-8990
- Official site
- nps.gov/lake
From the National Park Service, checked weekly. Fees, hours and road conditions change: confirm with the park before you go.
Trip planner
A day-by-day plan for Lake Mead
Tell us your dates and what you are into. We group the stops by where they are, so each day is one part of the park, not a zigzag.
The trails and places you save below go into your plan as must-sees.
Plan your park trip Free. No account needed.
Things to do in Lake Mead
The park service's own list, with how long each takes.
-
Hike the Liberty Bell Arch Trail
While there is no river access on this trail, hikers are rewarded throughout their adventure with geological highlights, remnants of a historic magnesium mine going back to the da…
-
Hike the Arizona Hot Springs Trail
Arizona Hot Spring trail is strenuous and can be combined to make a loop going down a 20-foot ladder to the White Rock Canyon trail. With a 750-foot elevation change and some stee…
-
Hike the Goldstrike Canyon Trail
This strenuous hike leads through a scenic canyon to natural hot springs and offers views of the Colorado River and Hoover Dam.
-
Hike the White Rock Canyon Trail
Follow this meandering canyon down as it compresses and loosens until it finally opens to reveal the mighty Colorado River.
-
Hike the Lone Palm Trail
This strenuous hike leads through a scenic canyon to natural hot springs and offers views of the Colorado River at the end of the trail.
-
Picnic at Katherine Landing
Katherine Landing picnic area features 10 picnic tables, 6 grills, and restrooms. This location does not have drinking water.
-
Picnic at South Arizona Telepone Cove
South Arizona Telephone Cove picnic area features 6 picnic tables. This location does not have grills, restrooms, or drinking water.
-
Picnic at Rogers Spring
Rogers Spring picnic area features 4 picnic tables, 4 grills, and restrooms. This location does not have drinking water.
-
Bike the River Mountains Loop Trail
Bicyclists are welcome to ride at Lake Mead National Recreation Area on park roads and on routes designated for bicycle use. Approved backcountry roads are designated routes and a…
Campgrounds in Lake Mead
Run by the park service. Reservable sites book on Recreation.gov; first-come sites do not.
-
Boulder Beach Campground
The Boulder Beach Campground is located just minutes from Las Vegas along the Boulder Basin of Lake Mead. It’s open year-round and features large paved sites t…
-
Boulder Beach Group Campground
When you stay at the Boulder Beach Group Campground, you’ll have access to many recreation opportunities. Boulder Beach, Special Events Beach, Canoe/Kayak Beac…
-
Lake Mead RV Village
Lake Mead's Boulder Beach area offers many things to see and do. Whether you’d rather go sightseeing, tour Hoover Dam, go shopping, visit historic Boulder City…
-
Las Vegas Bay Campground
Las Vegas Bay Campground is located just minutes from Las Vegas on the western edge of the park and has lush vegetation that shades nearly every campsite. Ther…
-
Callville Bay Campground
When you stay at Callville Bay Campground, you can enjoy the area on land or on water. A nearby shaded picnic area has cool grass, grills, restrooms and panels…
-
Callville Bay RV Park
More than 550 miles of pristine shoreline. Soaring red rock cliffs. Countless bays and beaches. Get off the grid for the vacation of a lifetime at Callville Ba…
-
Willow Beach Campground
Willow Beach Campground offers 9 tent campground sites and is located just 30 minutes from Boulder City and 45 minutes from the Las Vegas strip. With its uniqu…
-
Cottonwood Cove Campground
Cottonwood Campground is located near Searchlight, Nevada, along Lake Mohave. It’s open year-round and features paved sites that can accommodate tents or RVs,…
-
Temple Bar Campground
Enjoy the Temple Bar area by land or water. Hike through the desert along the Temple View Trail to observe the crystal blue waters of Lake Mead and the natural…
-
Echo Bay Campground
Our Echo Bay Park is a fisherman’s and boater’s paradise. Located on the north end of Lake Mead, this secluded park offers a variety of outdoor activities. Clo…
-
Echo Bay RV Park
Echo Bay Park is a fisherman’s and boater’s paradise. Located on the north end of Lake Mead, this secluded park offers a variety of outdoor activities. Close t…
-
Temple Bar RV Park
Just 75 miles away from Las Vegas, Temple Bar Marina is located in the Temple Basin on the Arizona side of eastern Lake Mead. It’s the closest marina for Arizo…
What to pack for Lake Mead
Gear & Essentials
Tell us about your trip and we will add what else you will want:
The basics
Worth having in the car whatever the park.
For this trip
Traveling with kids
Bringing a pet
RVing
Backcountry
Winter conditions
On the water
Photography
Accessibility
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
