Geography
Three of America's four desert ecosystems -- the Mojave, the Great Basin and the Sonoran Deserts -- meet in Lake Mead National Recreation Area. As a result, this seemingly barren environment contains a surprising variety of plants and animals, some of which may be found nowhere else in the world.
Lake Mead NRA is home to bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyotes, kit foxes, bobcats, ringtail cats, numerous lizards and snakes and a wealth of bird species. Threatened and endangered species such as the desert tortoise and peregrine falcon are found here, as well as ancient Colorado River fish species.
A long geological history can be seen from the 1.8-billion-year-old gneiss of Black Canyon to the lava flows capping Fortification Hill formed about 6 million years ago during the last Ice Age.
Getting There
Access off Interstate 15 in Nevada; U.S. Highways 93 and 95 in Nevada and Arizona. By air: to Las Vegas (25 miles from Lake Mead NRA); to Bullhead City, AZ (10 miles from Lake Mead NRA on Lake Mohave).
Climate
Weather in the Mojave Desert can be extreme at times. Storms and resulting flash floods are possible year-round. Avoid camping in washes and hiking in canyons during bad weather. If you are in a low-lying area during a storm, do not try to drive through flooded areas. Leave your vehicle and climb to higher ground. Backcountry roads often become impassable after a rain. Check with a ranger for current conditions.
In the wintertime, temperatures range from 30 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit with some wind. Spring and fall are the most pleasurable times to camp when the days are warm and the evenings are cool. Summer brings hot temperatures that average above 100 degrees Fahrenheit and fall at night to the low 80s.
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