Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Lake Mead National Recreation Area

A very short but kind of rough road right off of Valley of Fire Hwy less than two miles from the Parks north entrance. Free boondocking with no amenities. Follow the road and find your spot! You can see the traffic going to and from the park, but it is not a nuisance. The park is technically closed from sunset to sunrise so the only traffic is the occasional camper, arriving at the campground within the park. There are so many trails and points of interest to visit inside and outside the park. I highly recommend paying the price to drive through the park and then through the Lake Mead national recreation area into Henderson, Nevada near Las Vegas. The road along Lake Mead is as beautiful as Valley of Fire is!

Great place to disperse Dry camp. Spots are scattered along the main road. You can camp close to the interstate or 3 miles away at the lake. The lake shore gets crowded. The road is bumpy but we saw cars all the way down to the lake. The sign recommends 4x4 high clearance vehicles. The mine road offers good views and a few camp spots. 4x4 is definitely recommended for this road. There is no garbage collection so pack it out. One vault toilet near the lake. Bring your own firewood. No trees for wood in this area. Wood can be purchased at the Lake Mead National Recreation Area Campground Store. We spoted motor homers near the interstate, ground tenters, rooftop tenters, van campers and pull behind campers at the lake. We camped up the N Mine Road with our RTT trailer.

Ranger Review: Midland X-Talker Two-way Radios at Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, NV

CAMPGROUND REVIEW

Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground is located 14 miles east of Searchlight, NV, on the shores of Lake Mohave. The decent into Cottonwood Cove is quite dramatic (about 2900 ft), for which the roadside cactus can attest, as the types of cacti change even with the slightest elevation change.

The "lower" in Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground's name characterizes it's lower elevation compared to the "upper" campground, which naturally has higher elevation.

Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground is included in Lake Mead National Recreation Area campgrounds, and keeping with their custom, all sites are first come first serve. The Cottonwood Cove area has low elevation, at about 650 feet above sea level, which means it gets very hot during the late spring, summer, and early fall months.

Only a few of the 45 sites have shady cottonwood trees, and there are only uncovered picnic tables, so come prepared with a shade canopy for much needed relief! There are beautiful views of Lake Mohave, three very clean restroom buildings (no showers), water on taps, and fire rings at every site. There is an RV dump station located near the entrance to the Upper Campground (although the Upper Campground is closed).

The Lower Campground is situated behind a hill, which obstructs cell service. Walking only a short distance to the marina area, you'll find a strong 4G signal. The park service provides fee-based internet at the campground, but we didn't try it.

Cottonwood Cove has a full service boat marina, gas, motel, RV resort (with full hook-ups), watercraft rentals/supplies, sandy beach, and shaded picnic tables with BBQs.

Here's a drive-along tour of Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground: https://youtu.be/s6AQ6KqtxPg

Overall, we enjoyed our stay at this campground. It was a peaceful place, with jackrabbits, a couple of hungry ducks, many songbirds, and the stars at night were bright & beautiful. 4 stars (not 5 stars due to lack of provided shade).

PRODUCT REVIEW

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. While camping at Cottonwood Cove Lower Campground, we tested Midland X-Talker Two-way Radios (model T51).

https://midlandusa.com/product/x-talker-t51vp/

Camping in an isolated area behind a large hill was the perfect place to review these radios. However, with the hill as an obstruction our range was limited. [Note: We also tried these radios at home, and our maximum range was 3 small neighborhood blocks. Perhaps to achieve the maximum range of "28 miles," you'd need to be on the open ocean on a calm day or out on a very flat prairie.]

Here's a video demonstration of the Midland X-Talker Two-way Radios:

https://youtu.be/ocCEzY-MgUc

As you can see in our review video, we compared the Midland radios with a very inexpensive set. Midland's quality is far superior.

The Midland's instruction booklet is easy to follow, buttons are easy to operate, radio is comfortable to hold, and the belt clip is very tight (exercise care unlatching to prevent breaking). And… the NOAA Weather Radio scan was our biggest surprise, as you'll see in this video:

https://youtu.be/nZvTipRcln8

The radios can be charged while positioned on the charging stand or via a charging cord plugged directly into the radio and to an electrical source (such as a portable power bank).

Overall, we are very impressed with the clear reception and convenience of the Midland X-Talker Two-way Radios. We are looking forward to using these radios during our future no-cell service camping, fishing, and hiking adventures. 5 stars

Arizona Hot Springs is located at Mile Marker 4 US 93 South Of Hoover Dam, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Boulder City, NV 89005. Those directions will take you to the parking lot trailhead.

Although it’s only a 6 mile round trip hike, make sure to bring plenty of water as it gets extremely hot in the canyon. A bathing suit and water shoes are highly encouraged as you will pass multiple hot springs (when I say they’re hot, they’re steaming hot). Here, you can relax for a little bit in the man made jacuzzi, or continue your hike until you hit a 20 ft ladder which you need to climb and then you’re minutes away from the Colorado river.

Just an FYI,The hike itself is closed during the summer months.

In terms of camping, once you reach the Colorado river, you will come across a beachy area. You can set camp here for the night. Just an FYI, it gets pretty crowded prior to the summer months so get here early in order to get a nice spot. First come basis, no reservation. Free of charge, can stay up to 15 days. Primitive campsite with limited fire pits available. However, the area is absolutely beautiful, and makes up for the primitive campsite with so many amazing options from dipping in the hot springs or jumping in the river to cool off.

Don Laughlin’s Riverside RV Park Resort offers a prime location along the Colorado River with convenient access to all the entertainment and amenities of the Riverside Resort.

The park features spacious, level sites with full hookups and well-maintained facilities, including a laundry room and a dog park.

Guests can enjoy shuttle service to the casino, restaurants, and movie theater, making it a great blend of outdoor relaxation and vibrant nightlife.

Its proximity to the river also provides opportunities for boating, fishing, and scenic views, making it an excellent destination for travelers seeking both recreation and comfort.

Some of the best campground restrooms. Full hookups & affordable long term rates.

This is a one night stay for us and a last minute idea! Was a little worried about finding somewhere for an RV and peoples reviews scared me. This KOA is right off the Highway with easy parking for all sizes, 15 minutes from Vegas strip and there is a casino right next to us too. Friendly staff at check-in, 2 security men patrolling at 1am when we got in. Dog park and dog relief area are small but clean. Showers and bathrooms are well lit and clean. Pool looked good but did not have a chance to get in. Friendly neighbors too. Would definitely come back again.