As America marks its 250th anniversary, the America250 initiative reminds us that the landscapes we explore were shaped not just by geology and time, but by the people who traversed, settled, and fought for them. At Callville Bay, a proud member of the Adventures Unbound family, we are honoring Women’s History Month by celebrating four women whose courage and conviction are written into the history of this remarkable desert region.

Four Women, One Remarkable Region

In 1938, two scientists did what no documented women had done before. Botanist Dr. Elzada Clover and graduate student Lois Jotter set off on a 660 mile journey down the Colorado River to Lake Mead, navigating the inner canyon while documenting plant species along the way. They faced skepticism before they launched and made history by the time they arrived, proving that scientific curiosity and determination could carry a person through even the most formidable terrain.

Long before that expedition, Helen Stewart was already making her mark on the region. One of the first non Indigenous women to settle in the Las Vegas Valley, Stewart played a significant role in the area’s early development, helping lay the social and civic foundation of a place that would one day become one of the most visited destinations in the world.

The voice of the region’s Indigenous people was carried powerfully by Sarah Winnemucca, a Northern Paiute advocate who spent her life educating others about the struggles her people faced during westward expansion. At a time when those stories were being ignored or overlooked, Winnemucca refused to be silent, making her one of the most important figures in the history of the American West.

That tradition of dedicated service to this land continues today. Christa Johnston serves as Chief of Staff for the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, overseeing operations and partnerships across Nevada and Arizona. Her leadership helps ensure that the region continues to be managed with care and long term vision.

Explore the Waters They Helped Shape

This Women’s History Month, every moment you spend on Lake Mead carries the legacy of women who saw this desert landscape for what it is, wild, irreplaceable, and worth protecting. We invite you to come experience it for yourself. To learn more about how we are celebrating the stories that make America’s heritage complete, visit America250 at Adventures Unbound and explore further at the National Park Service.