Lake Mead, the Colorado River at Pierce Ferry and the Meadview Air Strip
In 2022, the drought made launching boats at South Cove, the Meadview boat launch, almost impossible. However, the park service has been improving the alternative dirt launch and due to the record snowpack, water levels have increased a bit.
Current info on lake levels and South Cove boating:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/331738561676921
Kayaking is great and so is fishing and hiking.
It’s a mystery to me why the National Park Service is ONLY concerned with boating. I’m not aware of a single marked and maintained trail. You’ll see many paths without a sign to let you know where the trail goes and how far it is.
SAFETY
Always have several gallons of drinking water in your vehicle even when you don’t plan on hiking. You never know when you’ll have a flat tire or “something” happens, such as an unexpected flash flood requiring you to wait for the water to go down for several hours.
In the summer, Pierce Ferry Road towards Kingman and Las Vegas can be closed for hours until the water goes down and the county clears rocks and mud off the road.
Check the weather forecast and be aware that it might NOT rain where it floods.
Be prepared and NEVER drive into running water when you can’t see how deep it is unless you can follow another vehicle that made it and is smaller and lighter than yours.
In 2013, a tour bus drove into a flash flood, was swept into the desert, and fell over:
https://www.reviewjournal.com/crime/courts/las-vegas-tour-bus-driver-cited-in-arizona-floodwater-accident/
Be especially careful when you go hiking in canyons. Two hikers died in March 2023:
https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/16/us/buckskin-gulch-hiker-death-utah/index.html
Don’t be afraid, just be aware and prepared 🙂
I prefer the Colorado to the Lake Mead because the beach is sandy (no rocks), the water is colder (no algae) and unless the river is extremely high, dogs and people can safely wade in the water.
If you bring pets, be aware that the leash law at South Cove is enforced (especially on holiday weekends), and dogs tend to interfere with people fishing.
Fishing licenses are available at the Meadview Gas n Grub.
Watch for rattlesnakes, scorpions, spiders, etc.
I lived near Meadview since 2000, way out in the desert. Since I’ve been gardening and building and I am outside a lot I’ve encountered many rattlesnakes and scary critters. Black widows hide in dark spaces during the day. Use flashlights and gloves. Don’t leave shoes outside unattended.
Watch where you step and where the kids and pets are.
In summer you might encounter toxic blue-green algae at the lake:
Don’t let kids or pets drink the algae water or wade or swim in it. Usually, it’s just a few feet to clear water. Storms tend to mix up the water, keep it cooler on shore, and disburse the algae.
The Colorado River at Pierce Ferry and the Rapids
It’s a 7-mile maintained dirt road and ends at the river — one of my favorite places to go.
Pierce Ferry or Pearce Ferry?
Apparently, Mohave County misspelled Pearce, and maps and street signs say “Pierce” and that’s how I spell it.
In this video you see the road down to Pierce Ferry.
The campground is where the lake used to be and I rarely see anyone there anymore because the water is now miles away. I read that it cost about a million dollars to build the new road from the campground to the river, but they had to do it because the river runners could no longer get to the lake to take their rafts out because of the rapids.
In summer I try to get there late afternoon for the sunset and SHADE from the river bank.
As of May 2023 the river is HIGH because extra water is released from Lake Powell due to the huge snowpack last winter.
You can rarely walk to the beach from the boat ramp to the right as he does in the video. You have to hike down from the bank. There’s a little path to the beach by the “no parking” sign to the right of the boat ramp through the tamarisk, willows, and reeds.
Usually, you can find a dry space for a few chairs or blankets on the beach to the right of the boat ramp (looking at the river),
Or you can head to the left of the boat ramp to find a dry spot, but it’s NOT a good place for swimming as the water is deep, the current is strong and you don’t want to die in the rapids.
I’ve seen beavers, cranes, and a couple of pelicans once, and occasionally you might see and hear landslides crashing into the river when the banks dry out after rains and break off.
Styrofoam is prohibited in the park and there’s a cooler for you in the closet next to the hall bath along with beach towels. Folding chairs are in the closet by the master bedroom.
The Rapids
Across from the parking lot starts the path to the Rapids about 1/2 mile downriver. In summer it’s best to go early morning or evening.
Nice video from 2018:
At 6:31 you see my favorite beach to the right of the boat launch. Sometimes there was so little water I was sitting almost in the middle of the river.
When it’s not too hot, you can hike all the way to South Cove along the Colorado River. And some carry their kayaks over the hills around the rapids for an incredible journey to the lake (videos are on YouTube.)
South Cove — Lake Mead
It’s not what it used to be before the drought, but the upside is that it’s much more quiet and relaxing, with fewer tourists and park rangers.
The old boat launch is closed, the dock was destroyed by park service equipment, and due to the steep drop at the already super long ramp, extending it is no longer an option.
The new primitive launch recently got enhanced with restrooms and the dirt roads were improved, but drive carefully, especially after rain.
2023 Lake Mead South Cove map
The Meadview Air Strip
On the way to or from the lake or river is the turnoff to the Meadview Airstrip.
This dirt road is not regularly maintained, but SUVs usually do fine. Drive SLOW and carefully.
I take visitors for spectacular sunsets on the way home when we have a few clouds in the sky. It’s generally very windy up there. There is a dirt road toward Meadview I’ve never taken.
Some more pictures:
Meadview, Arizona Airplanes ✈️ ATV, Hiking, Look-out point. Minutes from Camping, Trails and more!