1/16 Boulder Beach Campground, Lake Mead, Nevada

Boulder Beach Campground is one of the nicest no-hookup places I have ever experienced.  The roadways are paved, as are all the campsite pads.  This means no blowing sand or dirt, as I experienced in Big Bend.  Sites are also fairly spread apart and are quite large.  Nice landscaping on and between sites, as well.  

Two other big advantages of this place, are the views of the mountains and Lake Mead, though the lake is a long walk from the campground these days because of the low water level.  There is also a very nice, paved bike trail that goes past the campground and almost the entire width of Lake Mead--very nice!   

The campground has water spigots in several places around campsites, and there is also a nice dump station and fresh water fill area.  No showers, however.

The nearby city of Boulder City, by the way, is a good place to stock up on things like gas and groceries.  Otherwise, you have to go a lot closer to Henderson, NV, and Las Vegas.  Here is the road from Boulder City that goes down to Hoover Dame and Lake Mead National Recreation Area.  Nice view of the lake, but the white "bathtub ring" shows you what the lake level originally was.   

It was a beautiful, sunny day today, though a bit chilly.  This area has not had rain for almost a year, so it is in a serious drought condition! 

You will need to pay an entrance fee to get into the Lake Mead national park area.  Or, you can use your federal senior pass if you have one, as I do. 

A few pictures of the campsites.  And most importantly, you can use a generator all day, except for quiet hours, which are from 10 pm to 6 am.  This is VERY generous, but this are can be pretty hot during the summer.  (It can also be below freezing at night during the winter, so you need to be prepared for both conditions!)

Lots of empty spaces available, but you now need to make reservations online, even if you just drop-in.  I had to do this last time I was here--pulled over along the campground roadway, sat in my vehicle,and went online to recreation.gov! 

The lake is more than half a mile away, though it looks closer in this photo.  Not sure what the beach looks like because I have never walked down to it. 

 

 

I drove in through the east entrance closest to Boulder City, but I drove out the west entrance because I needed to stop in Henderson to pick up a couple of prescription.  Even if you do not need to head towards Las Vegas, this is a very nice drive with several parking areas to view the lake.  

 

 

Some people say that the desert is boring because there is nothing there, but I think it has a beauty of its own, especially when there are craggy mountains in the distance. 

I tried to get a better picture, but there is another campground in the lower right of this photo. It is not as pretty nor are the roads and sites as recently paved, but it is a good choice if you cannot get a site at Boulder Beach.

Also, on this trip, just before I left the national park, I turned right on Northshore Road, so I am including some photos from that area.  The road heads north along the lake and provides access to several places on the north shore of Lake Mead.  There is a marina and campground there as well.  It's a nice road with a lot of pull-offs, and is seldom busy.  

The road also takes you to Valley of Fire State Park and the small town of Moapa.  Might seem like a lot of nothing in this area, but it is a true wilderness area.

If you ever go to Las Vegas for gambling and shows, take an extra day or two and visit some of the beautiful areas around this part of Nevada!