Behold excellent views of Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, a canyon trail with petroglyphs, views of the canyons, domes, towers, and large blocks of sandstone.
The Moapa Valley Drive offers excellent vistas of Lake Mead. The 110-mile long Lake Mead and the 1.5 million-acre recreation area were created with the construction of Hoover Dam. It took almost 2 years of tunneling and digging to divert the river, two years to block the canyon with about 7 million tons of concrete, and some 5000 workers working around the clock to complete the project. Checking and driving out the views in the Mead area will remind you of the enormousness of projects that humans can accomplish. The drive will take you about 2-1/2 hours.
Start at the Lost City Museum in Overton on the north side of Lake Mead. Head south on Route 169 to the Valley of Fire turn-off. Drive east for a close-up of Lake Mead at Overton Beach. Go back to Route 169 and drive toward the Valley of Fire State Park. Here you can see Seven Sisters and Elephant Rock rock formations. There is also a Visitor Center that offers information regarding the park. Drive north in the park to the Petroglyph Canyon Trail, a half-mile trail through the canyon that displays petroglyphs. Views of the canyons, towers, domes, valleys, and ridges can be found a few miles down the road at Rainbow Vista. The park road ends at the huge blocks of sandstone known as White Domes. Proceed west from the Visitor Center to Atlatl Rock, a wall of petroglyphs. Camping is also available in this place. You may leave the park and proceed south on Northshore Scenic drive to Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
Starting Point:
Lost City, NV
Distance of Drive:
40 miles
Must Eat:
Sugar’s Home Plate
309 S Moapa Valley, Overton, NV 89040
Phone: 702-397-8084
Call ahead to confirm hours of operation.
Good Stop For: Home style cooking
Best Time of Year for Drive:
Spring and fall
Points of Interest on Drive:
National Recreation Area
Lost City Museum
Valley of Fire State Park
Tagged with: best time:spring and fall • canyons • Nevada
Filed under: Best Road Trips