Feb 16, 2012 6:00 - By: Britt Reints
One of Lake Mead's many coves
Las Vegas is one of the world’s most well-known vacation destinations, but just 30 minutes outside of Sin City is a virtually undiscovered paradise perfect for traveling families. Lake Mead and Black Canyon, one formed by the Hoover Dam and the other tamed by it, are an idyllic setting for adventures in a truly unique outdoor arena.
Lake Mead is a massive lake created when the Hoover Dam stopped up the raging Colorado River. The largest man-made lake in the country, Lake Mead offers over 100 miles of space for boaters, swimmers, and water skiers. The lake itself is rimmed by ancient cliffs and craggy boulders that claw at the Nevada sky. The shore is a mixture of flat rock face and secret enclaves where boaters can beach themselves on soft sands. From a distance, the clean spring water that fills the lake sparkles an ethereal blue, but up close the water is so clear you can see the over-sized fish that the lake is stocked with weekly.
Bypass bridge above the Hoover Dam and Colorado River
On the other side of the concrete dam, the Colorado River is allowed to continue its flow, although markedly slower and steadier than before the post-Depression engineers came. The smooth waters slip through Black Canyon, inviting kayaks, canoes, and rafts to explore what was once a dangerous stretch of river. Today, the 12 miles of river that straddle the Arizona and Nevada state line below the Hoover Dam provides a safe and beautiful place for hikers, backpackers, and campers to navigate between beaches, trails, and hot spring water falls.
The landscapes here are as dramatic as any that have graced the covers of travel magazines, but perhaps its the ease of getting here that makes it less appealing for those seeking exotic experiences. Boulder City, groceries, hotels, and wifi are a short bus ride away from the Colorado River, and Lake Mead is accessible through the Lake Mead National Park and Recreation area. The Lake Mead RV Village offers inexpensive camping and nightly activities for campers, neither of which scream “call of the wild adventure!”
Black Canyon
No, this is not a place to risk life or limb anymore. It’s safe, with relatively few rescue calls each year in either the canyon or the lake, according to local volunteers, unlike the nearby Grand Canyon whose rangers pull out 250 distressed hikers each year.
And yes, evidence of the hand of man is everywhere, from the dam itself and the impressive bridge that now soars above it, to the remnants of settling ponds that can be seen at the bottom of Lake Mead. But make no mistake, the presence of human interference has done nothing to diminish the overwhelming presence of God here.
Photos: Britt Reints
