Lake Mojave ~ Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Lake Mojave offers all sorts of fun outdoor activities and this end of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area beckons to be experienced during the cool weather seasons. The summer temperatures drift well into the triple digit range, so the summertime landlubber activities may not be pleasant, but the cool water certainly does provide relief from the heat. There are several access points for Lake Mojave and most are located in Arizona north of Bullhead City. Katherine Road is the travel route to look for, which connects with several side roads that go to Davis Dam, several secluded coves, Katherine Landing Marina and a few picnic areas. There is also a mobile home village and a developed campground on this side of the lake along with plenty of backcountry desert wilderness to explore. Those who launch a boat will have even more options, since the majority of the hidden cove beaches and day use sites can only be reached by watercraft.

The majestic views of Lake Mojave and the surrounding mountains are spectacular to see, especially early in the morning when the fishing is best. This huge lake it stocked with striped bass, which make for a mighty fine campfire meal. Water skiing is another popular activity and there is plenty of room to roam in the navigable waters. There are swimming coves too, but there is a downside. These waters contain deadly brain eating amoebas, so nose and ear protection is recommended, especially for children and teens. This is a gold producing region and panning at the mouth of Eldorado Canyon is a popular thing to do, but mercury was used for extraction in the old days and the gold flecks can be coated with this deadly substance, which is risky to remove.

Stopping to view Davis Dam is part of the charm when doing a tour of the Arizona side of Lake Mojave and this facility has an interesting history. Civilization is nearby in Bullhead City so stocking up on supplies is easy to do, while just across the Colorado River is Laughlin, Nevada, which is a casino resort gambling mecca that offers prices much lower than Las Vegas. There is plenty of fun in the sun to be found when touring Lake Mojave, so be sure to pack some sunscreen and cold drinks for the ride!
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