West | Lakes | Peccole Ranch

Yes, even a city like Las Vegas, centered in the Mojave desert, has lakeshore property available for prospective residents. Not to be confused with Lake Las Vegas (located in Henderson), The Lakes is a small 2-mile square master planned community located in the western part of Las Vegas Valley near the Spring Mountains and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Built in the mid-1980’s, this community of approximately 45,000 people has as its centerpiece a large man-made lake, along with several smaller adjoining ponds and additional water features. Sail boats, electric powered boats, and other water sports are permitted and enjoyed by many of The Lakes inhabitants. 

Another exclusive neighborhood is Peccole Ranch. Home to 22 separate neighborhoods, this master planned community situated on the western edge of the Las Vegas valley has all the amenities you’d expect and desire for comfortable living. With over 600 acres set aside for dwellings of all kinds, there’s an additional 284 acres in a common area and nearly 50 more made up of beautifully landscaped tree lined streets and walkways for the enjoyment of all its residents.

Things To Consider: With over 4,000 residential properties from condos priced in the high $100,000s, to family homes priced from high $200s to opulent custom homes on the waterfront with private docks priced from over $1,000,000 on up, there’s plenty of wide ranging living opportunities in The Lakes area. The Lakes are conveniently bordered by Sahara Avenue to the North, Durango Drive to the east, Desert Inn Road to the South, and Hualapai Way to the West.

Several other notable master-planned communities are adjacent to The Lakes, including Summerlin to the west and Peccole Ranch (mentioned above) and Canyon Gate to the north, all of which offer a wide range of housing options, ranging from luxury condos and smaller single family homes to semi-custom and large luxury homes. The master plan for Peccole Ranch was intended to include schools, single family subdivisions, office space and shopping centers.

Schools: There are no schools within the tiny Lakes neighborhood itself, but plenty in the immediate area. Herbert A. Derfelt Elementary School, M.J. Christensen Elementary, Patricia A. Bendorf Elementary, Spring Valley High School and Bonanza High are all within a few blocks of the district, along with a sampling of higher end facilities for children under six years of age: Spring Valley Montessori School and Kinder Care Learning Center.

The Clark County School district provides quality education to the Peccole Ranch communities with its high-tech facilities and the latest technologies. Merryhill School at Peccole Ranch and Citibank Child Care Center of The Lakes are two private school options. Other local public school options include Piggot Elementary, Christensen Elementary, Johnson Middle School, and Bonanza High. 

Near the intersection of South Torrey Pines Drive and West Charleston Blvd. is the College of Southern Nevada offering a wide variety of affordable courses, and in case you’re looking for more ‘specialized’ learning opportunities, there’s also Bioskin Laboratory Make-Up Academy and the Creative Cooking School.

Attractions: The Lakes in Clark County, Nevada are surrounded by country clubs (Canyon Gate Country Club), golf courses (Bad Lands Golf Club), Spring Valley, Summerlin, Henderson, and of course the Las Vegas Strip which is only a few minutes drive to the West. Within the borders of the area itself, most residents take full advantage of the relaxing and lush atmosphere that the bodies of water provide. Jogging and walking trails loop through the nearby landscape with many shops and libraries accessible along Sahara Avenue. 

Red Rock Canyon is only minutes away from Peccole Ranch, as is the Valley of Fire, (the first state park in Nevada) located just an hour’s drive away. For convenient entertainment you can visit the Suncoast Casino or the Rampart Casino.  Both of these casinos are considered "locals" casinos, as opposed to those located to the west on the Las Vegas Strip. Also conveniently located to Peccole Ranch is Desert Breeze Park, where you can attend an assortment of year-round special events including the annual Fourth of July celebrations, live band performances, and tons of food festivals. And if you want to get your golf ‘fix,’ check out TPC at the Canyon, or Angel Park Public Golf Course.

Businesses: The Lakes is technically not part of the incorporated city of Las Vegas, and as a result, financial companies, insurance companies, brokerage firms, banks, etc. use the area as a headquarters for their businesses, providing for a wealth of potential employment prospects. A good indication of this fact concerns the United States Postal Service having created several additional ZIP codes (The Lakes now has 3 zip codes) to handle the large volume of mail flowing into the community.