Discover the Deepest Lake in Nevada’s Clark County

Key Points:

• Lake Mead is the deepest lake in Clark County with a maximum depth of 532 feet.
• The largest reservoir in the United States by water capacity, it’s about 127 miles long and covers 274 square miles.
• The lake provides water for multiple states including Arizona, California, and Nevada, including more than 20 million people as well as farmlands.

Clark County in Nevada is a large county that includes Las Vegas. Its surface area is 8,061 square miles. Over 2.2 million people live in Clark County. Although it’s best known for Las Vegas and its vibrant nightlife, the county also has one of the deepest lakes in the state. This lake is surrounded by beauty and is a great place to travel to for a peaceful weekend away. Can you guess just how deep this lake is? Follow along to learn about the deepest lake in Clark County, Nevada.

What Is the Deepest Lake in Clark County?

The deepest lake in Clark County is Lake Mead with has a maximum depth of 532 feet deep. This massive reservoir also has a shore length of 759 miles. Lake Mead is an important lake! It’s large enough that the lake provides water for multiple states including Arizona, California, and Nevada. The lake provides over 20 million people with water, as well as farmlands.

About Lake Mead

Lake Mead is a massive lake in Arizona and Nevada. It’s part of Clark County and was formed by the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River. This impressive lake is the largest reservoir in the United States by water capacity. It’s about 127 miles long and covers 274 square miles. Lake Mead is named after Elwood Mead, an American engineer best known for heading the United States Bureau of Reclamation (USBR). He also played a critical role in the planning and development of the Boulder Canyon Project.

This massive lake has about nine access points. You can get to the lake from the Valley of Fire State Park. Mant mountains surround the beautiful lake. The most well-known mountain ranges around Lake Mead are the River Mountains and the Muddy Mountains.

The land underneath the lake is mysterious. When the water levels drop because of droughts, remains have emerged, including a body found in a barrel at the bottom of the lake. Apart from these strange finds, there are also multiple plane wreckages at the bottom of the lake. The most notable wreckage is the Boeing B-29 Superfortress which crashed in 1948.

Animals in and Around Lake Mead

Many animals call Lake Mead home or use the reservoir as a water source. This great lake covers a lot of space, so it’s not surprising to know that hundreds of animal species can be spotted. Keep reading to learn more about some animals in and around Lake Mead.

Desert Tortoise

One animal living near the deepest lake in Clark County is the desert tortoise. This dry-loving tortoise is throughout the southwestern United States. These large reptiles live for about 50 to 80 years. Sadly, they are considered critically endangered. Most of their lives are living in burrows. They tolerate heat well and can live in ground temperatures exceeding 140°F. Adult desert tortoises don’t have many predators. Instead, young tortoises and eggs are targets of fire ants, ravens, and coyotes.

Mountain Lion

Visitors can sometimes spot large mountain lions resting near Lake Mead or taking a drink from the water. Mountain lions have many names. You may hear these large wild cats referred to as cougars, pumas, or panthers. Mountain lions are in the Americas. They are one of the few wild cats you can find in the United States. Mountain lions are hypercarnivores. They mainly hunt for moose, mule deer, and mountain goats. These large cats are terrifying. Thankfully, they rarely attack humans. Still, if you find yourself face-to-face with a grumpy mountain lion, don’t run! They will instinctively want to chase.

Desert Bighorn Sheep

Another common animal around Lake Mead, the deepest lake in Clark County, is the desert bighorn sheep. These unique wild sheep have large curved horns. They are in many places, including the Death Valley National Park, Kofa National Wildlife Refuge, Great Basin Desert, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, and Joshua Tree National Park. These large sheep can easily weigh over 200 pounds. They have stocky bodies and resemble mule deer. Desert bighorn sheep are social animals, living in herds of about 10 to 100 other sheep.

Burrowing Owl

While you can see many reptiles and mammals, birds are one of the most common animals around Lake Mead. The burrowing owl is small and has large eyes. They are very common in the United States and live in many habitats including deserts, grasslands, range lands, and open areas. Burrowing owls are predators and swoop down quickly to catch insects. Other than large insects, they also consume small mammals like mice.

Where Is Lake Mead Located on a Map?

In the Southwestern United States, Lake Mead is a reservoir from the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River. It is 24 miles east of Las Vegas, spanning the states of Nevada and Arizona. It is in Clark County, Nevada, and Mohave County, Arizona. Remarkably, it holds the distinction of being the largest reservoir in the United States in terms of water capacity.