Overview
Lake Mead is a large reservoir formed by Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, spanning the border of Nevada and Arizona in the southwestern United States. At full capacity, the lake covers roughly 158,000 acres, making it one of the largest reservoirs by volume in the country. Its scale and location within an arid landscape give it long-term significance for regional water storage, power generation, and recreation.
The shoreline is expansive and highly varied, featuring steep desert mountains, rocky coves, long open basins, and flooded canyon arms. Sparse vegetation and exposed rock dominate much of the perimeter, while submerged river channels, points, and ledges define the underwater structure. Fluctuating water levels have shaped a complex basin that blends broad open water with sheltered inlets and backwaters.
Lake Mead supports a large desert reservoir fishery that includes well-established populations of striped bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, catfish, and crappie. The lake is managed as part of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area by the National Park Service, with water operations coordinated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to balance water supply, hydropower, and public use.
On the Lake
Find key access points and services around Lake Mead.