News Release

7.5 Million People Visited Lake Mead National Recreation Area in 2019

Date: March 4, 2020

National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior

LAKE MEAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA News Release

For Immediate Release: March 4, 2020
Release No.: 2020-04
Contact: 702-293-8691

7.5 MILLION PEOPLE VISITED LAKE MEAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA IN 2019

BOULDER CITY, Nevada – Lake Mead National Recreation Area welcomed 7.5 million recreation visitors to the park in 2019. It is the sixth most visited park in the entire National Park Service. An additional 7.6 million visitors traveled along main state highways and interstates in the park, including I-11.

The park saw spikes in visitation at its Henderson, North Las Vegas, Overton and Bullhead City entry points, as well as an increase in visitation at Hemenway Harbor near Boulder City.

Nationally, visitation to America’s national parks in 2019 exceeded 300 million recreation visits for the fifth consecutive year. The 327.5 million total is the third highest since record keeping began in 1904.

“The recreation opportunities at Lake Mead National Recreation Area are endless, making it a fantastic getaway that’s just minutes from Las Vegas,” said Margaret L. Goodro superintendent.

The Boulder Basin continues to be the most visited area of Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Of the park’s 7.5 million recreation visitors, 6.3 million visited destinations in Nevada, while 1.2 million visited locations in Arizona.

Since 1937, about 447 million people have visited the recreation area. The area has ranked among the top 10 most visited national park units since 1938.

“The 419 parks in the national park system provide a vast array of opportunities for recreation and inspiration for visitors of all ages,” said National Park Service Deputy Director David Vela. “With at least one located in every state, national parks offer nearby history, culture and adventure.”

The complete list of park visitation and other visitor-related statistics are available on the National Park Service’s website at https://irma.nps.gov/Stats/.

Top 10 most-visited National Park Service sites
Golden Gate National Recreation Area (15 million)                                
Blue Ridge Parkway (14.9 million)
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (12.5 million)
Gateway National Recreation Area (9.4 million)
Lincoln Memorial (7.8 million)
Lake Mead National Recreation Area (7.5 million)
George Washington Memorial Parkway (7.5 million)
Natchez Trace Parkway (6.3 million)
Grand Canyon National Park (5.97 million)
Gulf Islands National Seashore (5.6 million)

Lake Mead National Recreation Area 2019 Visitation by Location
Boulder Beach Access from U.S. 93 (1.8 million)
Lake Mead Parkway (1.4 million)
Lakeview Overlook (925,000)
Lake Mead Boulevard (815,000)
Katherine Access Road (758,000)
Valley of Fire Access Road (514,000)
Northshore Road (southbound/Overton) (423,000)
Willow Beach Access Road (252,000)
Cottonwood Cove Access Road (154,000)
Nevada Telephone Cove (139,000)
Nelson Landing (138,000)
South Cove-Pearce Ferry Road (126,000)
Temple Bar Access Road (93,000)
Kingman Wash (38,000)

-NPS-