Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Lake Mead National Recreation Area stretches across the Nevada/Arizona border and surrounds the vast reservoir created by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River. It is a landscape of desert mountains, open water and red rock shoreline.
Lake Mead was formed in the 1930s when Hoover Dam was completed during the Great Depression. The project brought electricity, water storage and jobs to the Southwest, reshaping the region’s economy and growth. The reservoir became the largest in the United States by volume and has long supplied water to millions in Nevada, Arizona and California.
The area was designated as the nation’s first National Recreation Area in 1936, established by the National Park Service to protect the newly formed reservoir and surrounding desert landscape while allowing public recreation. President Franklin D. Roosevelt supported the development of Hoover Dam, and the creation of the recreation area reflected the New Deal era’s vision.
Today, Lake Mead offers boating, hiking, fishing and exploration among desert canyons.
Read More From Nancy
Sequoia National Park
On one of our road trips through California, we stopped at Sequoia National Park to see the General Sherman Tree. Once we discovered the beauty of our national parks, we would seek them out and add these sites to our family travels. They often became the reason we would travel to a particular area, shaping our […]
Whiskeytown National Recreation Area
The deep blue waters and forested mountains of Whiskeytown National Recreation Area create a peaceful landscape in northern California. Located near Redding, the park blends mountain scenery, clear lakes and remnants of California’s Gold Rush history into one setting. At the center of the park is Whiskeytown Lake, a reservoir created in the 1960s as part of the […]
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
The Golden Gate National Recreation Area is one of those places that redefines what we think of as a national park. Set within and around San Francisco, it blends natural beauty, history and iconic landmarks into one expansive experience. The park is woven into the fabric of San Francisco and its recreation area stretches across […]
