TRIP OF THE WEEK:
Cottonwood Cove offers plenty of recreation choices
Cottonwood Cove on Lake Mohave offers boating and camping opportunities with beautiful views. Illustration by Mike Miller.
Beautiful desert and lake views await travelers along the 14-mile highway from Searchlight to Cottonwood Cove on Lake Mohave. To access this scenic route from Las Vegas, drive south 55 miles on US 95 to Seachlight. In the center of the historic mining boomtown, turn east on Cottonwood Cove Road, Highway 164.
The road parallels the route of a narrow gauge railroad constructed in 1902 that ran from Searchlight to an ore mill near the Colorado River. Steamboats used to dock at a landing in Cottonwood Cove. They unloaded freight and passengers and picked up crushed ore, mail and travelers.
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Steamboats provided the remote mining area's major link to civilization until roads improved and a railroad connection to a major line arrived. The steamboat landing and mill site lie now beneath Lake Mohave, created with the completion of Davis Dam in the 1950s. Practically all signs of the dismantled short line railway disappeared with wartime need for metal.
Cottonwood Cove Road heads downhill from Searchlight's perch among some hills, often following a major natural drainage toward the water. At first the dark, rugged hills close in upon the pavement. The foothills bear a sizeable forest of Joshua trees interspersed with yuccas and agaves. For some distance teddy-bear cholla create formidable thickets. Pick your way with care among these spiny "jumping" cactuses if you get out to see the wildflowers that begin appearing in February. The lake spreads out below, a startling blue expanse that perfectly mirrors the purple hills of the Arizona shore in a calm day.
A road to recreation, Highway 164 leads to developed facilities on the lake shore within Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Many out-of-state visitors to Lake Mohave bypass Las Vegas by using US 95 or Interstate 15 and Highway 164, the Searchlight cutoff.
The National Park Service maintains a visitor center and campgrounds at Cottonwood Cove. Expect to pay a $5 entrance fee and $10 per night in the 145-site campground. Those with a park pass pay no entry fee and reduced camping fees. Inquire at the small visitor center about hiking in the area.
Most other developed facilities at Cottonwood Cove operate under contract with Forever Resorts, a park service concessionaire. Contact Cottonwood Cove Resort and Marina at 297-1464 for information and reservations. Many visitors enjoy a meal at the cafe with its windows and outdoor seating area overlooking the colorful marina. An adjacent store offers camping supplies, snacks, clothing and souvenirs. Boaters frequent the docking slips, boat ramp, marine fuel depot and parking areas for vehicles and boat trailers. Forever Resorts offers a variety of personal watercraft and boats for rent, including fishing boats, ski boats, cruisers and pontoon boats. Inquire about ski packages and other rentals. For houseboat reservations, call (800) 255-5561.
Although the park service campground accommodates most recreational vehicles, visitors preferring full hookups should check out the resort's RV park with 72 sites, coin laundry, restrooms and access to game areas. From May through September, RV park users pay $26 per night. From October through April, the rate drops to $21.
The resort also offers motel rooms with views of the lake, barbecues and shaded patios. Rooms have one king-sized bed or two double beds. Rates run $65 per night at this time of year, considered the off-season. From May through October, expect rates to nearly double. An attractive getaway package includes a room for two nights and three days and a boat slip for two nights for $99.
Although the facilities at Cottonwood Cove remain open all year, visitors during November, December and early January find the area uncrowded and underused. Visitors need reservations after mid-January when the pace begins to pick up. Weekends and holidays after that bring crowds to the area. Even ferocious summer heat doesn't keep them away, as most visitors spend their days in or on the water.
