Lake Mead National Recreation Area encompasses 1.5 million acres of land and water. The powerful flow of the Colorado River is denied by that famous feat of engineering, the Hoover Dam, thus creating Lake Mead, the 16th largest man-made lake in the western hemisphere. With 820 miles of shoreline, the Lake Mead National Recreation Area provides ample opportunities for boating, swimming, hiking, scuba diving and fishing. There are campgrounds, boat and jet-ski rental services, hotels, restaurants, beaches and four marinas.