5 Things to do at Lake Mead

Guests of the Emerald Island Casino enjoy playing the latest and greatest penny slot machines the gaming industry has to offer. They may have a delicious meal at the grill or they may just hang out at the bar enjoying drinks with good friends. Without a doubt,

Emerald Island Casino is a premier source of entertainment in Downtown Henderson, Nevada, but when not at the casino what else is there to do in the area? If outdoor recreation is your thing Lake Mead National Recreational Area is the place to be.

Lake Mead is only 15 minutes away from Downtown Henderson. The lake is the country’s largest man made reservoir and was formed by the construction of Hoover Dam. The border between Nevada and Arizona runs through the lake and follows the old path of the Colorado River. The lake’s primary function is flood control and a source for drinking water, but the locals see it as an outstanding recreational area. Recreation at the lake include:

1.    Boating: Lake Mead is over 110 miles long when it is full. It is a big lake and it can handle big boats. The lake has five marinas to launch boats from. Boaters can travel for days before they see the entire lake. Also, this makes for water skiing heaven.

2.    Sunbathing and swimming: The Lake has over 500 miles of coastline. The variety of sandy beaches (with privacy) is endless for relaxing the day away.

3.    Fishing: Catfish, crappie and striped bass are in abundance at Lake Mead for the amateur and expert fisherman alike. Fishing is so popular at the lake that the The WONBass U.S. Open is held there every year and is the biggest bass fishing contest west of Texas.

4.    Hiking: There are vast areas of the recreation area that have little or no access and are only seen on foot. Beautiful canyons and washes containing all the colors of the rainbow are the rewards only to those like to hike.

5.    Scuba Diving: Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which includes Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, is a unique freshwater diving area. It offers a wide variety of diving environments for both novice and advanced divers. The most experienced of divers can even visit a B 29 Superfortress that crashed in the lake in 1948.

These are just five of dozens of things to do at Lake Mead. After boating, fishing, swimming, hiking or diving people leave the Lake and return to Emerald Island Casino, Nevada’s only all penny casino, and enjoy one of the best gaming experience in Southern Nevada.