13 April 2018
Thousand Trails RV Resort,
Las Vegas
Lake Mead & Visitor Center
After our visit to Hoover Dam we drove to Lake Mead & Visitor Center. Lake Mead is a lake on the Colorado River, about 24 mi (39 km) from the Las Vegas Strip, southeast of the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, in the states of Nevada and Arizona. It is the largest reservoir in the United States in terms of water capacity. Formed by the Hoover Dam, the reservoir serves water to the states of Arizona, California, and Nevada, providing sustenance to nearly 20 million people and large areas of farmland.
At maximum capacity, Lake Mead is 112 miles (180 km) long, 532 feet (162 m) at its greatest depth, has a surface elevation of 1,221.4 feet (372.3 m) above sea level and 247 square miles (640 km2) of surface area, and contains 26.12 million acre feet (32.22 km3) of water.
The lake has not reached full capacity, however, since 1983 due to a combination of drought and increased water demand. As of August 2017, Lake Mead was at approximately 40% of full capacity with 10 million acre-feet of held water. It has been smaller than Lake Powell (the second largest US reservoir when both are full) since 2013.
We were able to walk the beach and enjoy the very windy afternoon, The wind was so strong the sea gulls had a hard time flying! Lots of boats, fishing piers, shoreline recreation area for jet skis, scuba beach and picnic areas.
Outhouses on Pontoons!
Red Rock Canyon
We love scenic drives! A nice leisurely drive, enjoying nature and seeing our great country is what we like the best. The Red Rock Canyon drive was spectacular.
Red Rock Canyon features a one-way 13-mile scenic drive, hiking and trails, plants and wildlife, geology, camping, cultural resources and much more. The Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area [RRCNCA] is located just a few miles west of Las Vegas and encompasses 195,819 acres within the Mojave Desert. Red Rock Canyon is an area of worldwide geologic interest and beauty.
The Visitor Center offers information and interpretation about recreation opportunities, wildlife, vegetation, geology, and cultural resources, a selection of outdoor picnic areas, a wide variety of hiking trails, and much more.
The photos we take most times do not really show the beauty we see. We try, so enjoy.
