When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time at Lake Mead. I grew up nearby, and the Lake was a cheap outlet for entertainment. I remember one summer my mom took my brother and I there every day.
Now, if you know Lake Mead, you know that it may just be the un-prettiest lake there is. It’s a lake that, quite honestly, was never meant to be. It’s man-made; the result of Hoover Dam. The water is pretty from a distance, as all water is, but up close, the beaches are a mix of rock and sticker bushes (no exaggeration). It is a desert after all. But it was fun. (When it’s 118 degrees outside, you’ll settle for anything wet — even if you do step on a cactus on your way to the water.)
All this is to say that I have been pleasantly surprised by some of the amazing geography in that area. My hiking adventures have taken me to places I never knew existed, places that prove Lake Mead is more than a reprieve from the heat. It’s actually quite beautiful. And here’s one of my latest discoveries: Anniversary Narrows — a cool slot canyon and old mining area randomly plopped in the midst of barren land. I love these discoveries. I really do.
(We passed by an old dam. The dam is pretty much non-existent at this point, but the remnants are still there. This block was from that dam, dated March 20, 1930 — even prior to Hoover Dam.)
