Lake Mead has more than 500 miles of shoreline and the water elevation is 1,132 vertical feet. The current water temperature is 74 degrees. Lake Mohave has 250 miles of shoreline and the water elevation is 638 vertical feet. The current water temperature is 64 degrees. There are a wide range of recreational activities available to visitors on both lakes. Personal watercraft are allowed on 95 percent of Lakes Mead and Mohave. Please avoid the launch ramp rush-hour times of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
"We want to avoid the tragedies that have occurred in the park the last two weekends. We want people to come to the lake and have fun, be safe, and go home with their families. We are reminding everyone to wear a U.S. Coast Guard approved life jacket. We also want our visitors to be aware of changing weather conditions that are potentially fatal. The National Weather Service has a recreational forecast recording at 702.736.3854. If winds pick up while you are boating in the lake, please find shelter in a cove. Do not try to make it across the basin back to a marina or launch ramp. Please leave backyard pool toys and floats in your backyard where they belong. They are not intended for open bodies of water. Please be safe and enjoy your time in our park," said Superintendent Bill Dickinson.
All nine marinas in the park are open and have a variety of services to offer visitors. If you don’t own a boat or want to rent one, you can still get out on the water with a boat tour or raft trip. Additional information on services like boat rentals, boat tours, and river rafting trips can be found on our website: www.nps.gov/lame and also on: www.funonthelake.com.
According to the March 2006 Bureau of Reclamation 24-month forecast for reservoir levels, all ramps on Lake Mead will remain operational throughout the summer 2006 season. The Bureau updates the 24-month forecast once a month. You can access their site at: http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/lcrivops.html
Currently, we are recommending Hemenway Harbor as shallow launching only. If you have a larger vessel with a "deep v" hull, you may want to consider using the Boulder Harbor launch ramp next to Lake Mead Marina.
At Temple Bar, all vessels 35 feet or more than five tons need to coordinate launching with the District Ranger at 928.767.3401. Please call to schedule at least 30 days before the proposed launch date.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area is a unit of the National Park Service.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
