Best dam places to cool off during the pandemic

With Boulder City being in the middle of global pandemic and high summer temperatures, it can be difficult for residents to find a place to get out and cool down. To help them know what is open, the Boulder City Review has compiled a list of places to cool down, swim or just play in some refreshing water.

Boulder City pool, 861 Avenue B

Currently, residents can swim at the pool at various times Monday through Thursday. The facility is closed Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Open swim is available from 9 a.m. to noon Monday through Thursday, and adult lap swim is available from 6-9 a.m. and 5-6 p.m. Additionally, family swim time is from 5-6 p.m.

Advanced registration is required for entrance to the facility. Payments, registrations and court reservations are accepted over the phone at (702)293-9286. Space is limited for all activities.

Racquetball and Wallyball reservations are also available but no drop-in appointments are allowed.

Additionally, masks must be worn in the locker room or when walking to the pool from the locker room. They do not need to be worn in the water, but social distancing must be maintained. It should also be followed in the other areas of the facility.

Admission is $2 for children through age 17 and for seniors 60 and older. For adults ages 18-59, admission is $3. For information about current activities and classes at the pool, visit www.bcnv.org/242/Pool-Racquetball-Complex or call 702-293-9286.

Splash park, 1650 Buchanan Blvd.

Boulder City’s splash park is free to use and open for all.

It is operated by the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and features different water play attractions, allowing children and adults to run around and cool down at the same time.

The splash park is currently open all day and has shaded areas for parents to bring their towels or chairs and sit and watch their kids play. Masks are not required to be worn, but social distancing is required.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area

This national park is located just outside of town and has several areas where people can swim, boat and play the water to cool off. Due to the pandemic, park officials are asking visitors to keep their groups to 10 people or less in all these areas and to set up 10 feet away from others.

Boulder Beach

This beach is open daily to cars from 6:30 a.m. until dusk.

Visitors are encouraged to wear life jackets when in the water, as the lake’s waters are powerful, are surprisingly cold the deeper you get and can cause problems for even the best swimmers. Those who do not have a life jacket can borrow one from several loaner stations.

Willow Beach

Just 14 miles south of the border with Arizona is the road to Willow Beach, which offers a sandy beach on the shore of the Colorado River as well as a good launch spot for kayaks, paddleboards and boats. It does fill up on the weekends.

Lake Mohave

A little farther south into the recreation area, this body of water includes several places where people can swim: Cottonwood Cove, Princess Cove and Cabinsite Cove. Both Cottonwood Cove and Princess Cove have sandy beaches and life jacket loaner stations. Cottonwood Cove does fill up on the weekends. Cabinsite Cove has a rocky beach and the National Park Service recommends water shoes be worn there.

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.