Lake Mead stretches halfway up the arid hills of the Mojave Desert near Las Vegas and is one of the largest reservoirs in the United States. It was created by the construction of the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River, flooding the remains of the villages of the Anasazi people, who lived at the confluence of the Virgin River and the Colorado River from 500 BC to 1150. Explore it by driving the surrounding roads and taking a break at Lake Mead Recreational Area.