Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Lake Mead National Recreation Area is a national recreation area run by the National Park Service that spans Arizona and Nevada: about 709,230 acres of it are in Mohave County, Arizona. Entrance is $25 per vehicle, good for 7 days. It is open 24 hours a day. It has 9 developed campgrounds, from $20 a night.
Current notices posted by the managing agency. Checked Sept. 30, 2026.
- Closure: Seasonal Trail Closures Due to Extreme Heat May 15 – September 30 Goldstrike Canyon, Arizona Hot Springs, Liberty Bell Arch, White Rock Canyon, and Lone Palm trails will be closed for visitor and first responder safety. Please check the park website, social media, and weather for updates before visiting. Arizona, Goldstrike, and Lone Palm hot springs remain open and accessible by water.
- Closure: Government Wash and 8.0 Mile Road Seasonal Closure May 15 – September 30 The Government Wash campground and 8.0 Mile Road will close on May 15th to vehicle access and overnight camping to assess and manage area improvements and protect visitors and staff from extreme heat risks. The campground is anticipated to reopen for overnight stays on October 1st. It will remain open this summer to non-motorized vehicle access for daytime, non-camping related activities.
Check current closures and fire restrictions for Lake Mead National Recreation Area on the managing agency's own page.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area map
Lake Mead National Recreation Area boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Closures
- Every year from May 15 to September 30: Annual heat closure includes White Rock Canyon, Arizona Hot Springs, Liberty Arch, Lone Palm, and Sugar Loaf in Arizona; hot springs stay open by water on Lake Mohave (as of September 29, 2026). Current notice
Fire restrictions
No fire restriction recorded for this unit as of Sept. 30, 2026. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders below before you go.
Common questions
- Partly. About 709,230 acres of Lake Mead National Recreation Area are in Arizona (measured from the park's boundary map); the rest is in Nevada.
- Entrance costs $25 per vehicle, $20 per motorcycle, and $15 per person on foot or bicycle, each valid 7 days. Interagency (America the Beautiful) passes are accepted.
- Lake Mead National Recreation Area is open 24 hours a day.
- Yes. Lake Mead National Recreation Area has 9 developed campgrounds. Sites cost $20 to $80 a night. Campsites must be reserved ahead. Six NPS campgrounds on Lake Mead and three on Lake Mohave; concessioner RV hookups at Temple Bar, Willow Beach, and Katherine Landing (AZ) (as of September 29, 2026). Stays are limited to 30 days per campground. Across the whole park, the limit is 90 days in any 365-day period. Each site holds up to 2 vehicles. Park Service sites have no hookups (a concessioner RV park has them). Outside campgrounds, vehicle camping is allowed only at designated sites.
- No. Launching, landing or operating a drone is not allowed in Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Fees, passes, and hours
Entrance costs $25 per vehicle, $20 per motorcycle, and $15 per person on foot or bicycle, each valid 7 days. Interagency (America the Beautiful) passes are accepted.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area is open 24 hours a day.
Source: nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/fees, checked 2026-09-28.
Camping in Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Lake Mead National Recreation Area has 9 developed campgrounds. Sites cost $20 to $80 a night. Campsites must be reserved ahead. Six NPS campgrounds on Lake Mead and three on Lake Mohave; concessioner RV hookups at Temple Bar, Willow Beach, and Katherine Landing (AZ) (as of September 29, 2026). Stays are limited to 30 days per campground. Across the whole park, the limit is 90 days in any 365-day period. Each site holds up to 2 vehicles. Park Service sites have no hookups (a concessioner RV park has them). Outside campgrounds, vehicle camping is allowed only at designated sites.
- Cottonwood Cove Campground (0.6 miles outside the boundary): its sites, fees, and reservations on campgroundsdb.com.
- Cottonwood Cove RV Park camping (0.6 miles outside the boundary): its sites, fees, and reservations on campgroundsdb.com.
Campfires: Fires must be under 3 feet in diameter, above ground, attended, and at least 10 feet from beach logs, structures or vegetation.
Sources: nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/campgrounds, checked 2026-09-29; nps.gov/lake/learn/management/superintendent-s-compendium, checked 2026-09-29.
Backcountry permits
Limits: 15 nights in one place. Backpackers camp at least 0.5 miles from roads and developed areas.
How to get a backcountry permit for Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Source: nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/backcountry, checked 2026-09-29.
Scenic drives
- Lakeshore Roadpaved
Getting there
- Main access road: paved
Trails
- Arizona Hot Spring closed part of the year 750 ft elevation change; canyon route to a ladder and hot spring near the river.
- White Rock Canyon closed part of the year 885 ft elevation change; can loop with Arizona Hot Spring trail.
- Historic Railroad TrailFive tunnels on the 1931 railroad route used to build Hoover Dam.
- River Mountains Loop TrailPaved segment inside the park; full loop is 34 miles.
Source: nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/upload/Lake-Mohave-Hikes-3_22_2018.pdf, checked 2026-09-29.
What to see
- Hot springArizona Hot SpringsHot spring near the Colorado River; foot access closed May 15-Sep 30, open by water on Lake Mohave.
- DamHoover DamDam on the Arizona-Nevada border at the upper end of Lake Mead.
- OverlookTemple BarArizona marina and campground area on the south shore of Lake Mead.
- HighlightWillow BeachArizona recreation site on Lake Mohave with marina and RV park.
Source: nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/conditions, checked 2026-09-29.
Fishing and water
Fishing inside the boundary: Lake Mohave fishing , with stocking records and species on fishypedia.com.
- Lake Mohave water level (0.5 miles outside the boundary): its dam and reservoir record on reservoirfinder.com.
- Lake Mead fishing (0.7 miles outside the boundary): its fishing and stocking record on fishypedia.com.
- Lake Mead water level (0.7 miles outside the boundary): its dam and reservoir record on reservoirfinder.com.
Cottonwood Cove (0.5 miles outside the boundary): its swimming spot page on swimholesmap.com.
Public lands next to Lake Mead National Recreation Area
- National Park Service unitLake Mead National Recreation Area borders Grand Canyon National Park.
- BLM unitLake Mead National Recreation Area borders Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument.
- Wilderness areaLake Mead National Recreation Area borders Mount Logan Wilderness.
- Wilderness areaLake Mead National Recreation Area borders Mount Wilson Wilderness.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
- https://www.nps.gov/state/az/index.htm (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/fees.htm (accessed 2026-09-28)
- https://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm (accessed 2026-09-28)
- https://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/backcountry.htm (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/upload/Lake-Mohave-Hikes-3_22_2018.pdf (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/conditions.htm (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/hiking.htm (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www.nps.gov/lake/learn/management/superintendent-s-compendium.htm (accessed 2026-09-29)
- https://www.nps.gov/lake/learn/management/index.htm (accessed 2026-09-29)