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Cottonwood Cove Road, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada
Photo: Steve D · CC BY-SA 3.0 · cropped

Drives Nevada Las Vegas and Southern Nevada

Cottonwood Cove Road

Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada · Searchlight → Cottonwood Cove

Leisurely13 mi30 min0 ft climbHigh point ≈ 3,600 ftOne way
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The drive

Cottonwood Cove Road starts at US 95 in Searchlight, where Highway 164 (the Joshua Tree Highway) ends, and drops about 13 miles to Cottonwood Cove on Lake Mohave. It enters Lake Mead National Recreation Area and ends near the cove.

The drive falls off the desert plateau toward the lake and the Colorado River, with long views of the water as you come down. It is a leisurely drive with gentle curves.

Cottonwood Cove has a resort and marina on the Lake Mohave shoreline, run for the park service by a concessioner.

Along the way

  1. Searchlight (US-95)
  2. Cottonwood Cove
Elevation
0 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 3,600 ft
SearchlightCottonwood Cove
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
SearchlightCottonwood Cove
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • Lake Mead National Recreation Area charges a per-vehicle entrance fee, and the park is cashless.
  • Monsoon rains from July to September can flood roads in the recreation area.
  • The road dead-ends at the cove, so you return the way you came.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Lake Mead National Recreation Area alerts and conditions.

Questions about this drive

How long does Cottonwood Cove Road take?

Cottonwood Cove Road from Searchlight to Cottonwood Cove is 13 miles and takes about 30 minutes.

Is there a fee to drive to Cottonwood Cove?

Cottonwood Cove is inside Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which charges a per-vehicle entrance fee.

Where does Cottonwood Cove Road go?

Cottonwood Cove Road runs east from Searchlight on US 95 to Cottonwood Cove on Lake Mohave, inside Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Cottonwood Cove Road, from Searchlight to Cottonwood Cove