Road ride · Motorcycle
Riding Lake Mead: fees, passes and roads
What it costs to ride a bicycle or motorcycle into Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which entrance stations are open, and the NPS rules for riders.
Updated Oct 22, 2026 · 4 sources · road bike, e-bike, motorcycle
Photo: National Park Service Digital Image Archives / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
- Distance
- Varies: park roads and designated bike routesSource: NPS Lake Mead: Biking
Each stat shows its source. We only list figures a land manager or named source publishes; a missing stat means we found no published figure.
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Lake Mead covers many park roads with no single published ride, so the map shows the visitor center only.
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Rules, fees and who runs it
- Managed by
- National Park Service
- Bicycle entry
- $15 per person, 1–7 days
- Motorcycle entry
- $20, 7 days, up to 2 motorcycles
- Payment
- Cashless since Jan 1, 2024
- Closed stations
- Temple Bar and Northshore Road
Lake Mead National Recreation Area is the big piece of public land east of Las Vegas, and its roads are some of the quietest pavement near the city. It’s run by the National Park Service, which means two things riders often miss: bicycles pay an entrance fee, and the park is cashless. This page covers the fees and the rules. For specific rides inside the park, see the Historic Railroad Trail and the River Mountains Loop.
Entrance fees
From the NPS fee page:
| Pass | Price | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Per person (on foot or bicycle) | $15 | 1 to 7 days. Under 16 free |
| Motorcycle | $20 | 7 days. Covers up to 2 private motorcycles and up to 4 passengers |
| Private vehicle | $25 | 1 to 7 days |
| Lake Mead annual pass | $45 | 1 year from the month of purchase, this park only. For people on bikes, covers the passholder plus 3 adults |
| America the Beautiful annual pass | $80 (US residents), $250 (non-residents) | Federal recreation lands, including NPS, BLM and Forest Service sites |
| Senior pass | $20 annual or $80 lifetime | US citizens and residents 62 and over |
The motorcycle pass is the one to notice: a single $20 pass admits up to two private motorcycles. And if you ride in on bicycles with an annual pass, the fee page says the pass covers the passholder plus three adults.
The NPS biking page says annual passes work for bicycles too. Keep the pass with you while you ride.
Free days
The park waives entrance fees on a handful of days a year. The fee page lists October 27 and November 11 as the remaining 2026 free days. Check it again before you count on one.
Where to buy a pass
The park went cashless on January 1, 2024. Entrance stations still sell passes, just not for cash, and the fee page has links to buy passes online. Lake Mead annual passes are also sold on Recreation.gov. The NPS fee page lists entrance stations at Boulder Beach, Lake Mead Boulevard, Lake Mead Parkway, Cottonwood Cove, Willow Beach and Katherine Landing. You can also buy one at the park headquarters lobby in Boulder City.
Two things to know:
- Temple Bar and Northshore Road entrance stations are closed. If you ride in on Northshore Road, there’s no booth to pay at, but the fee still applies. Buy a pass before you go.
- Passes are not sold at the Alan Bible Visitor Center, even though it sits at the trailhead for the Historic Railroad Trail.
Rules for bikes and e-bikes
Bicycles are allowed on park roads and on routes designated for bikes. Approved backcountry roads are marked with a yellow arrow sign with a number on it. E-bikes are allowed anywhere regular bikes are, including all park roads open to cars. The NPS defines an e-bike as a two- or three-wheeled cycle with fully operable pedals and a motor of less than 750 watts. Off roads open to cars, you have to pedal; using the motor alone is prohibited there.
The federal rules on the NPS biking page prohibit:
- riding in a wilderness area
- riding at night, in a tunnel or in low visibility without a white light or reflector visible from 500 feet ahead and a red one visible from 200 feet behind
- riding side by side with another cyclist, unless the superintendent allows it
- riding while drinking or carrying an open container
The NPS also warns that some park roads have low visibility and no shoulder, and are steep with winding turns. It recommends checking at the Lake Mead Visitor Center for which roads suit cyclists and for current road conditions.
On a motorcycle
The same roads are a popular motorcycle ride, and the fee rules are simpler: $20 covers you and a riding partner for a week. Nevada’s helmet and lane rules apply on park roads; see Nevada motorcycle laws. Because the Northshore Road station is closed, buy your pass online or at another station first.
Heat and water
Plan to carry all your water between developed areas. From May to September, ride early. The heat guide has the monthly normals for Las Vegas and the signs of heat illness. Check the park’s alerts page for closures before you go.