STS073-706-024 Lake Mead, Nevada, U.S.A. October 1995 The sparsely vegetated, mountainous terrain of the desert surrounding Lake Mead is evident in this near-vertical photograph. Hoover Dam (formerly Boulder Dam) on the Colorado River is the small, highly reflective dot near the upper left corner of the photograph. The severe relief of Grand Wash is apparent to the east. North of Lake Mead the Muddy Mountains are visible, and the northern regions of the Eldorado and Black Mountains are discernible along the east and west sides, respectively, of the Colorado River just south of Hoover Dam.