Emerald Cave Dispersed, near Lake Mead National Recreation Area, is a unique spot that offers a taste of the desert's beauty and adventure. This area is perfect for those who want to escape the hustle and bustle of city life and enjoy some stunning scenery, with clear emerald waters just waiting to be explored.

Visitors often rave about the hiking opportunities, with trails leading down to the river that are well worth the trek. One camper shared, “Hiking the few miles down from our campsite with a kayak on my back was not fun, but it was worth it once you get down to the water.” The area is also pet-friendly, so you can bring your furry friends along for the adventure.

While the amenities are basic, you’ll find essentials like drinking water and toilets available. Some campers have noted that the lack of shade can be a challenge during the hotter months, so be prepared for the sun. If you’re looking for a spot to unwind and soak in the natural beauty, Emerald Cave Dispersed is a solid choice for a day trip or a night under the stars. Just remember to arrive early, as the area can fill up quickly!

Emerald Cave Dispersed — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

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Located 45 minutes outside of Vegas, Emerald Cave is an absolute beauty. If you’re looking to get out of the city, enjoy the nice weather and warm lake water, this is the place for you. Oh and did I mention, there’s a cave to explore nearby???!!

We decide to rent a kayak for the weekend so we can explore Emerald Cave and it’s surrondings.

Ended up camping nearby, on a sandy beach area. No permit required or reservation. Free of charge, primitive campsite. Make sure to get there early as the area fills up quickly!!!

Secret Vegas Oasis

We stayed here last night and there is a lot of misleading info with the last review. 
1. It is a $25 fee to enter this area. You do get access to all of Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam area which is cool but disappointing when you aren’t prepared. 
2. The campground is the only thing available and it is $52 a night!! There is absolutely NO SHADE so at 117 degrees outside we were miserable. 
The river is super cold which was nice but there is no beach &amp; lot of people who are there for the day from Vegas. 

I wouldn’t recommend. 

Not free camping! 

The pin took us off-road to a private BLM spot that went to a dead end in which you can get out of your vehicles and hike .8 miles down to the river. We made the hike down there and it was absolutely amazing however we did not stay the night there, we traveled back out went down the road to willow beach to see if there were any site available for that night. When we got there we noticed that you have to have a RV or a tent to camp so our friend that went with us could not use his overlander tent cause he would have had to use up 2 parking stalls (plus the park was super quite at 7pm). We ended up finding a place to across the road up in the mountains to stay the night BLM area. Wish we would have stayed the night at the first spot, you will also need at vehicle that can operate off roading. 

Fun Times

Me and the wife went out to see emerald cove and was amazed by the desert scenery. We took road 62 off highway 93 as far as our non-4x4 vehicle could take us.  If it wasn't for one hill that had us question if we should chance it or not, we probably could have made it to the end of the road.  Hiking the few miles down from our campsite(dispersed) with a kayak on my back was not fun but it was worth it once you get down to the water.  The water felt amazing and is so clear with the emerald green color to it. I believe the best map and information I found was on the lake mead recreational website.    

Photos of Emerald Cave Dispersed — Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Real photos from real campers