Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach
$150.00Admits a motor coach of 26+ persons.
AZ,NV
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Trailie
Build your Lake Mead itinerary
Tell Trailie your dates, pace, and interests — get a day-by-day Lake Mead National Recreation Area plan with hikes, drives, and must-see stops.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area at a glance
- Best time
- March–May, October–November
- Trip length
- Half day–1 day
- Don't miss
- Main Lake Mead National Recreation Area highlights — see Things to Do for current listings
- Nearby city
- Boulder City, NV
Explore this park
About Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Experience outdoor thrills, striking landscapes, and brilliant blue waters. This year-round recreation area spreads across 1.5 million acres of mountains, canyons, valleys and two vast reservoirs. Visitors come here for scenic drives, biking, hiking, boating, fishing, camping, and much more.
Weather Information
- Spring
(April, May and June): Daytime highs 80 °F to 98 °F.
- Summer
* (July, August and September): Daytime highs 89 °F to 103 °F (It can get up to 117 °F.)
- Fall
(October, November and December): Daytime highs 59 °F to 83 °F.
- Winter
(January, February and March) Daytime highs 57 °F to 69 °F.
Nighttime lows 50 °F to 66 °F Nighttime lows 32 °F to 50 °F. Nighttime lows 30 °F to 40 °F. *Summer can be a dangerous time due to excessive heat. Some trails are closed for public safety.
Entrance Fees
Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus
$60.00Admits a mini-bus of 16-25 persons.
Commercial Entrance - Van
$50.00Admits a van of 7-16 persons.
Entrance - Private Vehicle
$25.00Admits a private non-commercial vehicle for 1-7 days.
Commercial Entrance - Sedan
$25.00Admits a sedan of 1-6 people.
Entrance - Motorcycle
$20.00Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers.
Entrance - Per Person
$15.00Admits a single individual walking/bicycling for 1-7 days.
Entrance - Non-commercial Groups
$15.00Admits vehicles at the per person rate for groups using vehicles for 12 or more people. The $15 cost is per person ages 16+, not to exceed the flat rate paid commercial tours for same type of vehicle.
Entrance - Education/Academic Groups
FreeAdmits education/academic groups as long as a fee waiver form is filled out and approved.
Operating Hours
All Park Hours
Lake Mead National Recreation Area is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Please note that while the majority of the park is accessible at all hours, our Visitor Center operates on a specific schedule. Be sure to plan your visit accordingly, as the Visitor Center is open during designated hours to provide you with valuable information, maps, and assistance from our knowledgeable staff.
- MondayAll Day
- TuesdayAll Day
- WednesdayAll Day
- ThursdayAll Day
- FridayAll Day
- SaturdayAll Day
- SundayAll Day
Entrance Passes
Annual Entrance - Park
$45.00This pass admits the passholder only into Lake Mead National Recreation Area AND NOT other federal lands. The interagency passes allow access to more than 2,000 federal recreation sites. Admits passholder and occupants of a single, private non-commercial vehicle. In cases where per person fees are charged, pass is valid for the passholder + 3 adults.1 year from month of purchase. Good through 1 year from month of purchase.
Common questions
Planning Lake Mead National Recreation Area
The summary above covers timing and highlights. These go deeper on reservations, crowds, and logistics.
Reservation rules vary by season and activity for Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Check the Permits tab on this page and Recreation.gov before you travel — campground, tour, or backcountry permits may apply even without park-wide timed entry.
See Permits tab →
