Big Bend of the Colorado Recreation Area
Laughlin, Nevada

Big Bend of the Colorado was opened as Nevada's newest state park in 1996. However, construction of facilities is still going on and certain areas are just not open for public use yet. The park includes about 2 miles of the western shore of the Colorado River, just below Laughlin (although the park is still within the Laughlin city limits). Being just downstream from the Davis Dam, the river is cool and clear here. And while the Colorado River is the main attraction, a large part of the park area is filled with canyons and washes with beautiful rock formations and scenic view points. There are no developed hiking trails as of yet but hikers are allowed access to these "backcountry" areas.

While construction is on-going in the park, there is very limited camping available, and that is only for self-contained RV's. As for picnicking, there are some shade ramada's located along the shoreline in both the boat ramp and day use areas. Some ramada's have BBQ grills and picnic tables. If you are using the boat launch facilities, keep in mind that boating and fishing on the river are regulated by Arizona, California and Nevada. You'll want to be familiar with license requirements and regulations for all three states.