Nelson’s Landing

Nelson’s Landing is an informal Lake Mohave access at the mouth of Eldorado Canyon, where the rocky shoreline opens onto the water and desert ridges beyond. It is a practical stop for paddlers: the Black Canyon Water Trail ends at Eldorado Canyon, and the 76-mile Mohave Water Trail starts here. This is a natural access point, not a developed marina or ramp. For a Black Canyon take-out, plan on carrying your craft about a quarter mile up the wash to your vehicle.

From Boulder City, follow U.S. 95 and Nevada 165 (Eldorado Canyon Road); the approach is paved until the final quarter mile on Lake Mead Road 47. Reaching the shore means crossing rough, rocky or sandy ground, so wear shoes for uneven footing. The exact public parking and shoreline footprint are not clearly marked; expect an informal landing, not a developed beach setup. Bring drinking water, shade and food, since potable water and food service are not confirmed here. Visitors report a basic outdoor toilet, but it is not listed in NPS access information; bring paper and hand-cleaning supplies if you plan to rely on it.

From the water’s edge, Lake Mohave runs beneath broad, bare ridges and the jagged volcanic slopes around Eldorado Canyon. For a photo, keep the rocky bank in the foreground and shoot across the water toward the higher ridge; it gives the lake and desert setting a sense of scale.

In the 1920s, Nelson’s Landing became a Colorado River port, used to move illegal liquor across the Arizona border during Prohibition. Survey boats also used it in early Hoover Dam work; later, fishermen and tourists came to the landing. A flash flood on September 14, 1974, destroyed the settlement and killed nine people. It was never rebuilt. The place today is shoreline access at the former settlement, not a preserved ghost town; Nelson Ghost Town and the Techatticup Mine are separate sites farther inland. The canyon mouth deserves care in storm weather: the 1974 flood came through fast enough to erase the resort.