Boulder Beach Swim Site

Boulder City, Nevada · Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Verified · 4 independent sources

WATER: reservoir
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: $25 per vehicle
SEASON: Best in summer

About Boulder Beach Swim Site

Boulder Beach is an officially designated swimming beach within Lake Mead National Recreation Area (NPS), located on Boulder Basin near Boulder City, Nevada. It is a developed swimming hole on the reservoir, with a beach, buoyed swim area, and an adjacent campground, giving swimmers a desert lake to swim in set against a mountainous backdrop.

The beach sits in the western section of Lake Mead NRA on Boulder Basin, a mountainous desert landscape with views across the reservoir, just minutes from both Boulder City and Las Vegas.

Swimming at Boulder Beach Swim Site

Boulder Beach is one of Lake Mead's designated swim beaches, with a marked, buoyed swimming area intended to separate swimmers from boat traffic. NPS notes the beach itself is rocky (water shoes recommended) and that surface water temperatures exceed 80°F by late summer, making it suitable for casual and family swimming rather than technical open-water routes. There are no lifeguards and no routine water-quality monitoring (bacteria, algae, swimmer's itch not monitored), so it functions as an unsupervised natural-water swim area rather than a managed pool-like facility.

How to get to this swimming hole

Parking: On-site day-use parking lot reached via Lakeshore Road within the park; NPS entrance fee/pass required to enter.

The walk in

No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. This is a drive-up NPS-designated swim beach reached directly from the on-site day-use parking lot; no trail hike is needed to reach the water. (Separately, NPS notes the beach is roughly a 15-minute walk if approaching from Boulder Beach Campground rather than the day-use lot.)

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

Sandy swim entry with a buoyed lane separating swimmers from boat traffic makes it approachable for families, but NPS notes no lifeguards on duty, no water-quality monitoring, a rocky beach surface (water shoes recommended), and that receding lake levels expose silty mud that can trap people; supervise kids closely.

Parking

Paid, $25/vehicle (1-7 days) Lake Mead NRA entrance pass ($20/motorcycle, $15/walk-in or bike-in person 16+, children under 16 free, $45 annual pass); cashless/card-only fee collection

On-site day-use parking lot off Lakeshore Road within the park; NPS entrance fee required to enter the park. NPS's Boulder Beach page separately notes the beach is about a 15-minute walk from Boulder Beach Campground (a different, more distant parking option than the day-use lot).

Restrooms

Yes

Restrooms and outdoor showers on-site at Boulder Beach, per NPS and a secondary aggregator (openwaterlog.com); nearby Boulder Beach Campground has additional facilities including water spigots.

Hours

Day-use hours are dawn to dusk (NPS)

Swim smart

No lifeguards; no water quality monitoring for bacteria, toxic algae blooms, or swimmer's itch. As lake levels drop, exposed lakebed can become saturated, silty mud that can trap people and vehicles. NPS also warns that underwater and shoreline hazards shift with changing lake levels and are not all marked by buoys, and that cove distances are 'deceiving' for swimmers.

Rules: No lifeguards on duty; water quality (bacteria, toxic algae, swimmer's itch) is not monitored by the park. Beach rules prohibit glass containers, styrofoam, and marijuana use; only gas or charcoal grills permitted; campfires prohibited. Day-use hours are dawn to dusk. Life jackets are strongly recommended by NPS due to fatalities linked to not wearing one.

This is an informational listing, not an invitation. Conditions and access change; verify locally before you go. Visiting any swimming hole is at your own risk. See our Terms of Use.

On the water

Restrictions: NPS prohibits launching paddlecraft (kayaks, canoes, paddleboards) directly from designated swim beaches, which includes Boulder Beach; swimming is also prohibited at marinas and boat-launch areas. Life jackets are required on board any paddlecraft/raft, mandatory for children 12 and under.

The nearest legal put-in for paddlecraft is the designated Canoe/Kayak Beach in Hemenway Harbor (same Boulder Basin area, a short drive from Boulder Beach), which NPS describes as allowing you to "park right on the water's edge and explore the Boulder Basin for the day." Motorized boats and personal watercraft (waverunners) are permitted lake-wide outside swim beaches/marinas, subject to NPS boating rules.

Rentals nearby

Lake Mead Marina / Las Vegas Boat Harbor (NPS concessioner, Hemenway Harbor)

Kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, pontoon/patio boats, sport boats, and water-sports equipment (skis, wakeboards, kneeboards; only with a boat rental)

Prices: Kayak: $25/hr, $65/4hr, $100/day ($100 deposit). Paddleboard: $25/hr, $60/4hr, $90/day ($100 deposit). Sport boats: $120/hr (2hr min), $420 half day, $720 full day ($500 deposit). Pontoon boats: $105-110/hr, $420-440 half day, $630-660 full day ($500 deposit, first tank included). Renters restricted to the area from south side of the Boulder Islands to Promontory Point; must be able to swim; no overnight rentals.

Hemenway Harbor, Lake Mead -- within the same Boulder Basin area as Boulder Beach, roughly 1-3 miles by road · Kayak/paddleboard rentals begin at 8:00am (return time varies by season, 1-hour minimum); motorized boat rentals begin at 7:30am

Boulder Beach Swim Site: FAQ

Does Boulder Beach Swim Site charge a fee?

Standard Lake Mead NRA entrance pass required: $25 per vehicle (1-7 days), $20 per motorcycle, $15 per walk-in/bike-in person 16+ (children under 16 free), $45 annual Lake Mead pass; cashless (card only) fee collection.

Is Boulder Beach Swim Site kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Boulder Beach Swim Site?

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

Where do I park for Boulder Beach Swim Site?

When is the best time to visit Boulder Beach Swim Site?

May through September, when surface water temperatures are warm (exceeding 80°F by late summer); NPS notes regional summer air temperatures regularly exceed 100°F (June-August).

What are the rules at Boulder Beach Swim Site?

No lifeguards on duty; water quality (bacteria, toxic algae, swimmer's itch) is not monitored by the park. Beach rules prohibit glass containers, styrofoam, and marijuana use; only gas or charcoal grills permitted; campfires prohibited. Day-use hours are dawn to dusk. Life jackets are strongly recommended by NPS due to fatalities linked to not wearing one.

Conditions right now

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Live data from the National Weather Service and USGS. Conditions at the water can differ, use your judgment.

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Managed by

Lake Mead National Recreation Area

Official site · National Park Service

At a glance

Land access: Open to the public
Facilities: restrooms; outdoor showers; picnic tables; swim buoys marking designated area; nearby campground with water spigots, fire pits/grills, fish cleaning station
Highlights: Officially designated NPS swim beach with marked buoyed swimming area; Adjacent to Boulder Beach Campground and River Mountains Loop Trail (30+ mile trail network); Water levels and shoreline conditions have fluctuated significantly in recent years due to regional drought
Nearby towns: Junction City (historical) (0.6mi); Lake Las Vegas (4.9mi); Hesse Camp (historical) (7.6mi); Hillegas (historical) (8.3mi)
Coordinates: 36.0484, -114.7942