10/17/2026
Feel that chill in the air? 🍂 That definitive lack of sweat dripping down your face?
That means it’s camping time! And for many, a cheerily burning fire is crucial to the experience. Here are a couple of tips to keep you in control of your campfire, and not the other way around!
First things first, know your local fire regulations and any current restrictions.
At Lake Mead NRA, fires are allowed in designated fire rings and grills at established campgrounds, on shorelines, and in the backcountry, as long as fires do not grow too large (bigger than 3 feet in diameter) and aren’t too close to any vegetation (at least 10 feet away).
Keep in mind for shoreline and backcountry fires, rock rings must be deconstructed and refuse (including charcoal ashes) packed out at the end of your trip.
Any current restrictions can be found at nps.gov/lake.
Speaking of the perfect fire, here’s how to get it right:
At Lake Mead, it is permitted to collect dead or downed wood (below the high-water line) to start a fire, or you can purchase wood to burn in the area. Remember, chemically treated wood is a no-go!
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Arrange your wood, chopped into small pieces to expose more wood and less bark (since bark doesn’t burn as easily), in a crosshatch pattern, building a tower shape. Into the empty space in the tower, you’ll stick your kindling (small leaves, twigs, etc.) and your firestarter (shredded paper, etc.). Make sure that any gear you have, and your extra firewood, are clear of the fire.
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Once it’s burning, never leave your fire lonely. Always have someone posted to watch it, a job as old as campfires themselves! Also keep a close eye on pets and children near the fire. And have water close – you never know when you’ll need to douse your fire in a hurry.
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Now all that’s left to do is toast the perfect marshmallow! But the question is, are you a toasty brown or a black and burned type of roaster? 🤔
NPS Photo
