Things to do nearCottonwood Cove Resort & Marina

Cottonwood Cove Resort & Marina sits within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, managed by the National Park Service, which means the surrounding landscape is protected desert wilderness. The cove itself was developed as a public recreation facility decades ago and today offers boat rentals, a launch ramp, RV and tent camping, motel-style cabins, and a small marina store, making it one of the most self-contained desert lake destinations in the region.

The star of the experience is Lake Mohave, the narrow reservoir formed by Davis Dam that stretches roughly 67 miles through Black Canyon and into the open desert. From the marina, boaters can head north into increasingly dramatic canyon walls or south toward calmer, wider sections of the lake. Kayaking and paddleboarding are popular in the sheltered cove, while anglers pursue striped bass, rainbow trout, and catfish in the deeper channels.

The resort's sandy beach draws swimmers and sunbathers, and the warm, clear water makes for pleasant wading well into the evening during summer months. Sunsets here paint the canyon walls in amber and rose, rewarding anyone who lingers past late afternoon.

Remote, scenic, and genuinely unhurried, Cottonwood Cove Resort & Marina offers a rare combination of accessible amenities and raw desert beauty that makes it worth the drive from Searchlight and well beyond.