Big Bend of the Colorado SP, Laughlin NV
We left Cattail Cove, and I will miss it. I enjoyed the hills and our hikes, the view of the lake, and those chilly swims. We are going to Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area, our last stop before Las Vegas, and then home.
The road was simple: follow RT 95 North, crossing the Colorado. We stayed on the Nevada side; the river is the state boundary. And I love the name, Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area.
The campground had 24 sites, and all of them were very large. We had a pull-through facing east and the river, with our neighbors about 80-90 feet away. It's just incredible.
The Colorado is about half a mile away. A sandy trail leads to the river, and walking on sand is good exercise. The day-use area has two beaches with shaded picnic tables, a boat launch, shelters, and bathrooms. It's a nice place to play when it's hot. I tested the water temperature, and it was COLD.
The Big Bend is in the day-use area. The river curved, creating coves and small beaches—just beautiful. We noticed that the water was not deep and was moving very fast. There may have been a channel for the boats in the middle, but anything closer to the shore was shallow. I've read about river cruises, but it would not seem possible with this water level.
I found this stay very good for relaxation. I enjoyed walking to the river, around the campground, or watching little quail troops run around the open area by the sites. I did see my friend Melvin, the road runner. He's so cute. I did not know, but road runners are omnivores. They will eat snakes, crickets, fruits, and even small mammals. Who knew?!
We visited Davis Dam and Lake Mojave in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area . It is a large earthen dam, which we walked across. You can visit the area overlooking the dam structure. Many informational placards detailing the history of the dam and the area were placed around the overlook. Both sides of the dam and the Colorado have visitor parking and a few shaded picnic tables. The lake is large and has no access besides Katherine Landing on the Arizona side. The Canyon walls get progressively steeper as you go north, and there are no towns or road access along the lake.
Another interesting aspect of this location was Casino Row in Laughlin, NV, on the riverfront. It looked like Atlantic City, with tall casino buildings and a boardwalk along the water. It had a lot of visitors, and there were a couple of campgrounds right downtown.
Bullhead City is on the Arizona side of the Colorado. It's larger than Laughlin and has many box stores, chain restaurants, RV parks, and watersports rentals. We found one good place to eat, Black Bear Dinner, which serves simple, tasty food. If half the town waits to get in, it must be good.
The Colorado River appeared often during our travels, from Grand Junction and Moab to Grand Canyon and Lake Powell. Exploring the southern portion of this great river was interesting, and more will come later this summer.