Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
A drive through the town's main drag is a trip through history. Here, hotels
named for the large, popular casinos of Las Vegas' past—hotels long since
imploded—still stand. Places such as The Dunes, El Rancho, The Desert Inn, and
The Hacienda, create a satirical ghost walk through the state's history.
While in town, check out the
Boulder Dam Hotel
(1305 Arizona St.;
%
800/
251-3651; www.boulderdamhotel.com),
a relic of days past built in Dutch-Colonial
style, that's made it onto the National Register of Historic Places (and is said to
have more than a few interesting ghost stories within its creaky doors). And be sure
to stop by
Milo's Best Cellars
(538 Nevada Hwy./Arizona St.;
%
702/293-9540;
daily 11am-10pm, Fri-Sat bar open until midnight, AE, DISC, MC, V)
for wine,
cheese, and charm.
To get there:
Take U.S. 93/95 (also known as I-15) south about 30 miles, follow-
ing signs to Boulder City. To get to Hoover Dam, continue on U.S. 93, 7 miles
past Boulder City. Garage parking is $7, but there are also free lots on each side
of the dam. Gray Line offers the mini Hoover Dam bus tour from Las Vegas
(
%
800/643-6579; daily [except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's] at
8:30am and 12:30pm, and takes about 4
1
⁄
2
hrs.; Internet fare is
$
34 and doesn't
include admission to The Discovery Tour; hotel pick-up is available).
Tourist info:
Boulder City Visitors Center (100 Nevada Hwy.;
%
702/294-1252;
www.bouldercity.com/visitors; daily 8am-4:30pm).
LAKE MEAD
Lake Mead
(
%
702/293-8906; www.nps.gov/lame;
$
5 per car; daily 24 hr.)
abuts
Hoover Dam and is the fruit of the massive structure's operation. At 1.5 million
acres, the Lake Mead National Recreation Area is home to the largest manmade
lake in the Western Hemisphere—and a welcome sight amid the sandy brown
desert hues of southern Nevada. Because the water fills a canyon rather than a
basin, the lake is deeper than most, with an average depth of 225 feet and a maxi-
mum depth of 500 feet. That translates into enough water, at 1 foot deep, to cover
the entire state of Pennsylvania. But in recent years, the water levels of the lake have
decreased because of drought conditions, which is immediately evident with the
lake's ring-around-the-bathtub type effect marked clearly on surrounding rocks.
The first stopping point is the
Alan Bible Visitor's Center
(
%
702/293-8990;
www.nps.gov/archive/lame/visitorcenter; daily 8:30am-4:30pm),
where park
rangers can answer any questions you might have, and you can buy maps, books,
souvenirs, and water, and admire the beautiful cactus gardens that surround the
center.
One of my own favorite area hikes is the Historic Railroad Trail, located next
to this Visitor's Center. This 5-mile out-and-back hike takes you through crude
tunnels blasted out of the volcanic ridges above Lake Mead to deliver concrete,
pipes, food and other supplies during the construction of Hoover Dam. The trail
traces around mountains and canyons that border the lake, and the views of
Boulder Basin are unbeatable, particularly when the area's wildflowers are in
bloom. Because the hike is before the park entrance, you can soak in some of the
most beautiful lake views without paying the $5 per vehicle fee.
