Nice view of the lake and community. Doable with a paddle boat. Beware of the wind direction as that can significantly propel you or slow you down.

For an easy and fun water adventure in the Las Vegas area, consider the Boulder Island kayaking route. Leaving from the Hemenway Harbor, you’ll paddle to the very nearby Big Boulder, Little Boulder, and Rock Islands and explore their ever-changing coastlines (due to rising and falling reservoir water levels). Waves on Lake Mead can be a bit bigger than on smaller water bodies, upping the difficulty of cross-lake travel, but this is still a good adventure for novices.

Surrounding Wingfield Park, the Truckee River Whitewater Park features 11 pools for kayak play, a kayak racing course, and annually hosts the Reno River Festival, a competitive kayaking event. The park is located in downtown Reno in walking distance from 24 resorts, so if you’re staying in Reno, passing through, or a local, access is quite easy. Rapids are rated at Class II to III.

The headwaters for the Merced River originate from Mount Lyell of Yosemite National Park. It tumbles past Yosemite Dome creating the famous Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls before making its way to the valley floor and through a typical Sierra foothill canyon, this is where this trip begins. This run has a combination of Class III and IV rapids that eventually are broken up with a break just before Briceburg (mile 15). Briceburg is used as a take out/put in for a half day run. The trip explained here is intended to be a multi-day trip. The BLM has three designated camping areas: McCabe Flat campground at mile 17.5, Willow Placer campground at mile 18.8, and Railroad Flat campground at mile 20.2. Contact the BLM for further information on camping and required permits. At mile 22 just before the confluence with the North Fork of the Merced is a 30 foot waterfall, the North Fork Falls. Some have navigated the far left side and dodged the boulders, but most use the portage on the right. Here is a link to a map indicating rapids and put ins/take outs: http://www.merced-river.com/images/maps/rl-mer.jpg.

Cherry Creek run is one of the most challenging run in the US, making this the ultimate thrill ride for whitewater paddlers. Cherry Creek is a steep graded, swift moving tributary of the Tuolumne River originating from Yosemite Valley. On this trip you'll be dodging granite boulders, descending down five big drops, and riding long, continuous Class IV and V+ rapids known. At approximately mile 7 is the Class V drop Lumsden Falls which will require portaging.

Exploring the western arm of Lake Mead known as Las Vegas Bay, this is a great adventure for those who want to get away from the traffic of the more eastern sections of Lake Mead. Access this area from the Boulder Harbor boat launch and then head north. Other water craft will be present, including motorized craft, so be sure to watch out for these.

Accessed from a small parking lot on the south end of the Lake, this is a great place to go if you want to get away from the busy Lake Tahoe crowd. The water here is slightly colder than Tahoe, and even can freeze over during the winter, but the surface is also calmer. This is a great place for beginners to learn and practice their techniques.

Starting at Sand Harbor and moving south along the coastline to Secret Harbor on the Nevada side of the storied Lake Tahoe, this is a great open-water adventure. Kayakers of different abilities will feel comfortable along this course, sticking closer to the shore for beginners and move more into the open water for the more experienced.

Formed from a wide spot in the Colorado River, Lake Mojave is a popular place along the Nevada/Arizona border to recreate. Access to Lake Mojave is from a boat launch at Cottonwood Cove on the north end of the lake. Keep in mind that there will be current to fight, particularly in the central parts of the lake.

The third largest lake in Nevada behind Lake Mead and Lake Tahoe, Pyramid Lake offers numerous possibilities for a day on the water. Some sections of the lake shore are closed and inaccessible from roads (much of this area is controlled by the local reservation), but the water is open to all. The best place to access the lake is from a launch on the west of the lake, north of Sutcliff. This is the longest course we plot on the lake and takes you to Wizards Cove, on the least accessible part of the lake to the north.