Robert L. Mendenhall Scenic Overlook

A designated pullout on US-93/I-11 as the highway climbs above Lake Mead on the approach to Hoover Dam, giving you a first cool look at the reservoir's blue water set against stark desert mountains and the valley below. It's an easy, free, quick stop with parking (including RV spaces), shaded observation canopies, and interpretive panels on the dam's history, local geology, and wildlife. It can get fiercely windy up here, so hold onto your hat. A good leg-stretch and photo stop to set the scene before you reach the dam and the Tillman Bridge just beyond.