Exploring Lake Mead, a floating respite, an engineering miracle and an economic driver for Las Vegas

By Shannon Miller

Las Vegas Weekly

Driving down Boulder City Parkway from Las Vegas, a natural wonder comes into view. More than 72,000 acres of water shimmer in the middle of the desert.

Past the National Park Service fee station, it becomes obvious that Lake Mead is teeming with life — and recreation. Jet skis skip across the water, boats pull inner tubes, wakeboards and water skis, and on the shoreline, people lounge in between taking dips.

Life thrives in the most unlikely of places. And despite the culture that has taken hold on the surface, Lake Mead is not really a lake at all — at least not in any natural sense of the word.

Along with a series of other dams and reservoirs constructed along the Colorado River in the early 20th century, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead were created in 1931 during the Great Depression to regulate flooding, allow for large-scale irrigation and harness the power of the river to provide electricity to the nascent settlements in the Southwest.

More than 90 years later, the reservoir provides about 90 percent of the water supply in Southern Nevada, which has a rapidly growing population of about 2.4 million. And while much of the focus is on the lake shrinking — the famous “bathtub ring” — those who spend their days there say there’s plenty of water to play on.

“A lot of people don’t understand what’s out there. You live in a city, and you don’t realize what’s at the lake—the work, the fun, the play, the friendships,” says Chad Taylor, director of operations for hospitality for Lake Mead Mohave Adventures.

The company, a concessioner of the National Park Service that operates marinas at Callville Bay and Temple Bar in Lake Mead, offered to show me what’s in store for those who venture out.

A Day on the Lake

After a 45-minute drive from Las Vegas, I pull up to the parking lot of Callville Bay Marina. It’s an unseasonal high of 99 degrees on this day in late May, so I’m thankful for the cheerful woman who spotted me.

“Need a lift?”

I hop in her golf cart. As she drives down the sloped parking lot to the shoreline, the lake and marina come into full view. I get out of the cart, and as I walk the long dock, I see boats tethered along the side, dumpsters, fuel pumps and a convenience store. It’s like a floating small town.

I meet the group I’m going out with—Taylor’s daughter Mckenna, her boyfriend Cole Leseberg and their friends Josie Kehoe and Owen Dupre.

Taylor has already ensured the Sunchaser tritoon, one of the many rentals Lake Mead Mohave Adventures offers, is in good working order and has all the necessary safety equipment—lifejackets, a fire extinguisher and first-aid kit. We make sure we have other essentials like water and sunscreen.

There’s a lengthy discussion about the wind forecasted for the afternoon and how we’ll handle it. Apparently, it’s not an ideal day to be on the water. But with the group’s experience level, they’re confident they can get us out and back safely.

Around 9:30 a.m., we untie the boat from the dock. Leseberg starts the engine and we back out of the slip. He takes it slow driving past the other slips and the tire enclosure that dampens wakes and waves.

“You’re going to want to meet the wake head on,” Mckenna tells Leseberg.

Mckenna has been around boats since she was a kid. The 19-year-old Las Vegas resident comes out to the lake with this group often, at least once a month when the weather warms up.

“We’ll be out here year-round until it drops to 30 degrees. We play in the dirt in the winter and play in the water in the summer,” she says.

We get past the marina and pick up speed. The wind blowing through our hair and clothes makes this hot day a little more bearable. What’s more, there’s the promise of a refreshing plunge.

Dupre points out features that have changed since the last time he was out here. “That rock used to be underwater. ... That rock wasn’t there in 2017.”

Mckenna says there’s a silver lining to the low lake level: more sand beaches. Speaking of, we spot one and decide to make a stop.

“Confidence kills,” Mckenna warns Leseberg as he navigates shallow rocks. “Steering a boat is a suggestion. You don’t always get to decide where it goes.”

Through polarized glasses, Dupre sees the rocks clearly and gives some direction. After careful maneuvering, we hear the bow slide onto the sandy shore. Leseberg kills the engine, and swimming commences.

It’s refreshing in several ways—the 70-degree water being one. But more surprising is that this sand, shore and body of water are available mere miles away from a city in the middle of the desert. I feel like I’m at the beach, and yet I’m surrounded by mountains.

After a dip, some splashing and tossing a frisbee back and forth, we wash the sand off our feet and get back in the boat. What’s next on the itinerary? Nothing in particular.

“We hang out, grill, have campfires every night,” Mckenna says. “We’ve been out here dawn to nighttime before.”

The only thing we need to be wary of today seems to be the wind, forecasted to get up to 25 miles per hour in the afternoon.

“Lake Mead is choppy at five miles per hour,” Mckenna explains. “Our environment is not meant to have a lake here, so we have desert wind patterns that are different from normal lakes.”

Leseberg starts the engine again and drives over to deeper water. We take turns jumping off the boat, plummeting into the turquoise lake. A pair of ducks swims up, looking for food.

After we’ve sufficiently cooled off, the wind starts to pick up—a sign it’s time to head back to the marina. Over the hum of the engine, we discuss some safety tips (see sidebar on page 24), boat etiquette (more on that later) and what’s the best time to get off the water.

Leseberg advises getting back to shore by 3 p.m., especially during busy times like summer or holidays, as traffic leaving the lake can be a headache.

“If you’re here past 3:30, you’re cooked,” he says.

Watershed Moment

Lake Mead isn’t just a recreational haven. It also supports a $358 million industry. According to National Park Service data, the national recreation area saw 5.8 million visitors in 2023 and supported more than 3,000 jobs in local gateway regions like Boulder City and Las Vegas.

The economic benefits of recreation are undeniable. And that’s why officials are sounding the alarm: recreation and the industry it supports are at risk under the Trump administration.

The administration’s budget plan for 2026 proposed a cut of more than $1 billion to the National Park Service. That’s after an estimated 13 percent reduction in staff due to the administration’s firings, pressured buyouts, deferred resignations and early retirements, according to the National Parks Conservation Association.

Ahead of Memorial Day Weekend, Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto held a press conference at the Wetlands Park, where tributaries eventually flow into Lake Mead, to “shine a light” on how these cuts could affect the National Recreation Area.

“The goal will be to make sure [people] have access to the water and be able to utilize their boats. ... But if you don’t have enough park service out there, you don’t have enough people that are helping to ensure everybody stays safe. It is going to be a safety issue, and that will be a challenge,” Cortez Masto told the Weekly.

Alan O’Neill, who served for 34 years in the Department of Interior and 13 years as the Superintendent of Lake Mead, said the cuts indicate a “wholesale dismantling of our public land structures.”

“The administrative cuts and policy changes not only affect basic services to the public, but they also put in jeopardy the ability to protect the very resources the units were established to protect. If the budget policy changes are implemented, it may take decades to put things back in order, if ever.”

As Congress deliberates the budget, O’Neill says it’s more important than ever to work together to protect Lake Mead and national parks from the proposed “draconian cuts.”

“Citizens, regardless of political party, must defend the public lands from severe budget cuts,” he said. And our public waters, too.

Getting on board

Lake Mead Mohave Adventures’ Chad Taylor says boat life is accessible to anyone who really wants to get out there. You just need motivation and a little resourcefulness.

“You have to want to connect with your friends and family outside the city. If you have that, then the rest is just the steps you need to get there,” Taylor says. “You can hang out on the shore. But you want to have a boat to enjoy the lake. You can know somebody who has a boat, you can rent a boat, or you can buy a boat.”

The first step he recommends is finding someone who has boated before or who likes to go to the lake, and doing some research.

Taking his advice, I found Ross Bowman, a boat owner from Las Vegas who frequents Lake Mead with his wife, two kids and his friends. He describes his boat as a 25-foot Chaparral, “the minivan of boats.” He bought it used for $26,000. It’s an investment that has paid dividends, he says.

“I’m a water enthusiast. I’m looking for any reason to either be in a pool or go to the lake. We go more than the average family because it’s a small vacation or getaway,” Bowman says. “I probably would have moved away a long time ago if Lake Mead wasn’t so close.”

On boating days, the family wakes up early to make lunches, pack their beach bags and make sure their boat is fueled up and their trailer in good working order. They’re out the door by 8 a.m. and on the water by 9—“the perfect window before the ill-experienced people are getting out there.”

Novice boaters sometimes don’t know how to back their boats into the water and can take a long time on the launch ramp. Sometimes launch ramps are limited to one lane. That’s the case this summer with Hemenway Harbor due to construction. So getting out early is the best way to go, especially on busy weekends and holidays. Otherwise, you might spend half your day waiting in line to get your boat in the water.

Once you’re on the water, there’s the unspoken law of the lake to follow—boat etiquette. Bowman says it’s mostly intuitive common sense and good manners, like helping others and being willing to answer questions.

“Boat etiquette is respect for the other person’s time that they’re having—not flying into a beach ... and rocking the boats and causing wakes. Don’t be showing up with your loud speakers and party girls when it’s 10 o’clock and there’s kids on the beach,” he says.

For the most part, he says he sees good etiquette and people picking up after themselves, leaving beaches as pristine as they found them. An issue he more often runs into is people not bringing enough drinking water. He’s helped people before who appeared to be suffering from heatstroke, “usually alcohol-induced.”

When it comes to partaking in alcohol and other activities, boat drivers have an added layer of responsibility, he adds.

“[When] you’re the captain ... you can’t be indulging. You can’t go wakeboarding or tubing as much as the other people. If you go cliff jumping and leave your boat to someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing, you might have a hard time swimming back to your boat,” he says.

Once you have basic safety and etiquette down, you’re ready to start making memories. When Bowman talks about the skills his 10- and 12-year-old have learned at the lake—about wildlife, boating, water sports—he speaks as a proud father.

“I like watching the kids progress. They’re so capable and so natural at it. That’s just as much enjoyment as being out there myself,” he says.

Safety First

Chad Taylor, director of operations for hospitality for Lake Mead Mohave Adventures, says people need not be intimidated by the lake. But they do need to take some precautions.

“Be smart enough to know you need to have a little bit of fear. Wear lifejackets. No alcohol at the lake. Come out with a group. Let someone more experienced drive the boat first,” he says.

He recommends following these safety guidelines:

—Boating safety courses are not only highly recommended, they’re required by Nevada law for anyone born after 1982. BoatUS Foundation offers a free online course approved by the Nevada Department of Wildlife (boatus.org/nevada).

—Always check the weather forecast for any wind advisories, and heed the warnings.

—Make sure every person on board has a life jacket, and children have child-size jackets.

—Bring sunscreen, hats, long-sleeve shirts and water shoes—a must to protect your feet from the invasive quagga mussel that has “razor-sharp” shells.

—Check that you have a fully charged engine battery and fire extinguisher.

—Make sure the steering wheel, throttle controls and all lights are working properly.

—Check for fuel leaks from the tank, fuel lines and carburetor, and check the engine compartment for oil leaks.

—Check hose connections for leaks or cracks and make sure hose clamps are tight.

—Drain all water from the engine compartment and make sure the bilge plug is replaced and secure.

—Leave a detailed float plan with a reliable friend or relative, and let them know when you plan to be back from your trip.

Happy boating!