Boulder Beach Area
In the southwest section of Lake Mead National Recreation Area is Boulder Beach and Boulder Harbor. The beach is a large area with great views of Fortification Hill and is right next to the Boulder Beach Campground (dry camping) and the Boulder Beach RV Park (full hookups).
Boulder Beach CG
We have never stayed at the campground but have driven through it a number of times. The campground has multiple loops of which some have small dirt/gravel sites and other loops have bigger concrete sites. Some of the sites have nice beach/water views but since the campground is first come first serve these sites are probably difficult to snag. Overall we like the campground and we would stay there should the opportunity arise. The campground was less than half full when we were there in early March. The campground is close to Hoover Dam and sits right on the wonderful River Mountains Loop which is a 12 foot wide paved 34 mile trail. The Historic Railroad 7.5 mile trail for hiking or biking is within driving distance.
Lake Las Vegas
The Lake Las Vegas development sits outside the western part of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and has hotels and homes along Lake Las Vegas.
Las Vegas Bay Campground
In the western section of Lake Mead National Recreation Area is Las Vegas Bay Campground (dry camping) where the Bluffs Trail is located. This campground has some lovely sites with some of the best views we have ever seen anywhere. The campground was almost empty when we visited in early March. We would definitely stay here.
8 Mile Rd
8 Mile Rd heads south off Northshore Road in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and provides free boondocking for 7 days after you have paid for the Recreation Area entrance fees. The road is well maintained for the first part of it but pull off areas (i.e., sites) don’t start appearing until after a mile or two. Like most of this area, the closer you get to the lake the more difficult the road becomes. The area appeared to be much less crowded than Government Wash due to having much less flat areas to park a rig. This area is visible from Government Wash.
Lakeshore Road and Northshore Road View Points
The western part of Lake Mead National Recreation Area between Las Vegas Bay and Boulder Beach on Lakeshore Road has multiple view points with plenty of parking and picnic tables for enjoying the scenic Lake Mead and the surrounding mountains. The lake seemed a bit higher to us than previous years due to all the rain. Northshore Road also provides a number of viewpoints.
Hot Springs
The Lake Mead National Recreation has over 300 hot springs but only a few that are easily accessible. Two of the springs, Blue Point and Rogers Spring are located on Northshore Rd near the north end of Lake Mead. Blue Point Spring is not much too see but there are some beautiful palms in the area. Rogers Spring is much larger and you can actually put your feet in the water. Just be careful to not submerge your head or nose in the water as the water is known to have Naegleria fowleri, a one-celled organism which can enter your body and result in a fatal infection. NOT GOOD!
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