Since we’re only about 3 or 4 hours away from Las Vegas, we usually go there at least twice a year. Little did we know, this gem of a hike called Gold Strike Hot Springs is only about 30 minutes away from Vegas. Gold Strike Hot Springs is on our top 10 favorite hikes so far. It’s a combination of hiking, fun obstacle courses, beautiful scenery, gorgeous hot springs, and unique wildlife. And if you go all the way down, you can also see the Mike O’Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, towering over the Colorado River, just below Hoover Dam. I mean, what else can you ask for?
Note: Please make sure to respect this beautiful place and the surround areas. Always practice LEAVE NO TRACE. This means no loud music, no graffiti, no carving in walls and pack out what you pack in! Please help us protect this place for generations to come!
Stats
Where
Gold Strike Hot Springs Trail Head:
Goldstrike Pass Rd, Boulder City, NV 89005
Coords:
36°00’36.8″N 114°46’25.0″W
Parking
Decent sized dirt lot
Restroom
There is no restroom
Fee
Free
Weather
Ideal Weather
Cooler days. It gets hot there.
Ideal Time
Early morning for cooler weather and less people. Also give you plenty of time to get there and to enjoy the hot springs at Gold Strike.
Distance
5.1 miles R.T.
1.7 miles to the first roped section
Elevation Gain
About 945ft
Level
Strenuous. It requires rock scrambling and climbing with exposure to the elements. You also have to climb down and back up 8-9 ropes.
Time:
3-6 hours depend on your ability and how long you want to spend at the hot springs.
Pet-friendly
You can bring your dogs but we wouldn’t recommend it. You will have to carry your dogs up and down at least 8 roped sections, most of which are extremely slippery. There is also other rock scrambling and climbing sections along the way. Also, the springs may contain an amoeba that can cause deadly infection if it enters the body through the nose. So, it is best to leave your pups at home (and not in the car at the trailhead)!
Video
Warning!
- It is important to note that Gold Strike Hot Springs trail closed from May 15 to September 30 due to extreme heat. Not only you’ll have to pay a fine if you get caught, but you might also die from the extreme heat! So please, don’t chance it.
- The temperature in the canyon may be 10-20F degrees warmer than at the trailhead. The warm temperature can lead to heat exhaustion, heatstroke, or even death. Always bring extra water.
- This is a very strenuous hike that requires rock scrambling and climbing with exposure to the elements. There are at least 8 roped sections with very slippery granite rocks on the trail.
- Always check the rope’s condition before using them. These ropes are tied by visitors and are not maintained.
- DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS HIKE IF THERE’S A FLASH FLOOD WARNING.
- Naegleria Fowleri , a deadly amoeba, has been found in the hot springs here. DO NOT dive, splash water or submerge your head in the pools. The amoeba can enter through your nose and can cause a deadly infection
The Adventure
Getting to Gold Strike Canyon Hot Springs Trailhead
Gold Strike Canyon Hot Springs trailhead is located on Goldstrike Pass Road in Boulder City, right off Highway 93. You should be able to use your GPS to get there. Once you exit onto Goldstrike Pass Road, follow the paved road to the right. The paved road will turn into a bumpy, dirt road. You’ll see the big dirt parking lot on the right. To get to the trailhead, you have to walk back to the dirt road and toward the big information kiosk.
The Beginning of the Hike
We got to Gold Strike Hot Springs trailhead around 8 am. Even so, by the time we got there, the parking lot was almost full. We snatched up the last parking spot before getting ready for our adventure. From the trailhead, it is a short distance on a paved road toward a gate. After the gate, the trail turns into a sandy wash. The good thing is, you won’t get lost. The bad thing is, you’ll have to hike the whole way through soft sand.
The trail traces the highway for a short distance then curves away from the busy road at the bridge to enter the canyon. Gold Strike Hot Springs trail gets more and more beautiful the farther you go. The canyon wash runs through tall canyon walls, small slot canyons, and small subway-styled slots. Along the way, there are painted arrows helping you find the best way to scramble up or down a drop. Make sure to pay attention to them. The trail is mostly flat for the first 1.5 miles with some scrambling sections.
Rope 1
At around 1.5 miles, you’ll come up with the first roped section. According to the map at the trailhead, there are 7 ropes total. However, we counted 9 when we went. According to the locals we’ve met on the hike, some ropes might be added along the way. Some of these roped sections have a by-pass around. Unfortunately, not the first one. That being said, it is one of the easier ones.
The first rope is located on the right-hand side of a large boulder with what looks like a nasty drop-off. However, if you look carefully, there are steps carved into the rock wall on the right-hand side. You can use the rope as a hand line. Some people don’t need it on the way up, but we think it is safer to use it, up or down. As we stated in the beginning, make sure to inspect and test each rope you come upon before trusting your weight on them. These ropes are not maintained so who knows what condition they are in.
Rope 2
Once we got down to the first rope, we kept following the wash for about 0.3 miles until we came up to the second roped section. The rope runs down a slanted slab of granite rock. As we were about to climb down the rope, a few local hikers came up and told us about the bypass on the left-down canyon. According to them, this rope wasn’t here before. We ended up following them through the bypass instead. As we got down to the bottom, Wade, one of the local hikers, showed off by sliding down the smooth granite rock at lightning speed instead of using the rope. Although he made it look easier, we wouldn’t recommend it.
Rope 3
After a short distance and more scrambling, we came up to the third rope of the Gold Strike Hot Springs trail. This one is anchored on the left side of the rock wall. You kind of have to climb over the big rock at the beginning and drop onto the top of the chockstone. From here, you can use a rope to walk down. It can get slippery here, especially toward the bottom. When we went, the rope was a bit too short. It wasn’t a problem for Dustin, but for a tiny person, like I am, I had a bit of an issue getting down because of how slippery it was. Dustin had to help me. Keep in mind, these granite rocks get extra slippery when wet. So on the way back, if your shoes are wet, it can be very difficult to get traction.
Rope 4
The fourth rope is not too far after the third one. It is down a short dry fall, about 6ft or so. Taller people can probably just slide down the dry fall. However, there is a rope there if you need it. You’ll definitely need the rope on the way back up. Again, this roped section can be very slippery. Also, we don’t recommend jumping down any of the roped sections. If you sprain your ankle or get hurt, it is a long way back.
Upper Gold Strike Hot Springs
After the fourth rope, there was a bit more scrambling before we saw the first sign of water. As we walked closer to the water, we could feel the heat radiating from some sections. There was green moss and sulfur all along the running water. This area is known as the Upper Gold Strike Hot Springs pools. Unfortunately, most of the pools have dried up. However, there were a couple of pools here that still had water.
As we mentioned under the Warning section, please don’t dive, splash water or submerge your head in the pools. These hot springs contain a deadly brain-eating amoeba, that if they enter through your nose or mouth, can cause a deadly infection. Also, always check the temperature before going in.
Rope 5
If you didn’t see any hot springs here, just keep walking down the canyon. You’ll come up to the fifth rope. This one is down another slanted granite slab. When we went, someone added a second rope. Unfortunately, there is no bypass for this one. When you get to the bottom of this roped section, there used to be a pool here. There was some water at the time we went, however, it was too shallow to enjoy.
If you have enough of the springs or of the ropes, you can turn back here. However, if you want to keep going, there are 4 more ropes before the next set of hot spring pools and the Colorado River. These roped sections get harder.
Rope 6
After rope 5, we continued down the canyon for a bit. There was a lot more water and little waterfalls at this point. In some sections, we even got our feet wet. There are also more downclimbs and some rock scrambling before getting to rope 6. Rope 6 is a short drop, about 3-4ft, down a rock pile.
Rope 7
After climbing down rope 6, we came upon a big area with big boulders. It looked like there was no safe way down. Luckily, one of the hikers we came across showed us the way. What you want to do is look right, down the canyon, there is a small tunnel there. Go through the tunnel and go down the rocky steps. Rope 7 is not too far down the canyon. It is down a slanted slab on the left-hand side. It can be very slippery if your shoes are wet.
Rope 8
Rope 8 is a short drop, about 5-6ft. This section has two different ropes. There is one rope in the middle of the canyon and one on the right. You can use whichever one seems more comfortable for you. The one in the middle has water trickling below. It’s not too bad for taller folks, but it is a bit tricky for shorter people. It was an awkward drop as the rocks are super slippery, it was hard to use them as a foothold. The rope on the right hand side has a weird overhang, that might be easier on the down, but not on the way back.
Rope 9
Rope 9 is not too far after. It is down a very smooth and slippery vertical rock. It is about 10-12 ft and is the most challenging rope here in our opinion. This rope has awkward angles and is extremely slippery, especially toward the bottom. We had to help a couple of hikers that were on their way back. Their shoes got wet so it was challenging for them to get back up to the top. This is why we brought a pair of good water shoes with us. This way, we can keep our hiking shoes dry on the way back.
First Set of Pools For Gold Strike Hot Springs
After rope 9, you’re almost to the first set of the Lower Gold Strikes Hot Spring. It is right before the canyon walls curve to the left. This is a decent size pool and a perfectly good spot if you decided to not go any further. However, the bigger pool and the Colorado River are not that far down. We decided to keep going.
Going to the Main Pool
At this point, we decided to switch to our water shoes since we will be crossing water. Once we climbed down to the pool at the bottom, we kept following the running water to go down the canyon. The canyon curves left at this point. The canyon walls are quite beautiful with green moss and water dripping out of the rock wall. At certain spots, you can see small waterfalls seeping out from the rock. It was quite breathtaking. If you prefer to stay dry, you can try to scramble through the boulders on the left side. Some people decided just to walk down in the water below.
The Main Gold Strike Hot Springs Pool
Not that far down, you’ll start to see the main pool of Gold Strike Hot Springs. There is a small waterfall running down to fill it up. To get down to this pool, there is a short, slippery downhill section. You made it! There are a few pools connecting to each other. There is also one directly below the waterfall. The temperature for each pool varies. Some are hotter than others. Therefore, always make sure to check the temperature before getting in.
The Colorado River
From the main pool of Gold Strike Hot Springs, we can kind of see the Colorado River. Since we made it all the way here, of course, we went to check it out. It is such a beautiful spot. From here, you can see the towering bridge below Hoover Dam. The Colorado River is also very beautiful, and very cold! At the beach area, there is a water channel leading from the hot springs out to the river. If you stand here, you can feel the different temperatures from hot to cold. It was quite interesting.
The Hike Back
After spending a decent amount of time here, we decided to go back before it got dark. We prefer not to have to climb up the ropes in the dark. Pretty much you just have to follow the same route back out. Since it is in the canyon, you won’t get lost really. However, you still have to find the safest way to go back up. Climbing back some of the sections is a lot harder than climbing down, especially if you have wet shoes. Please be extra careful! Also, keep your eyes peeled for bighorn sheep on your way back! We saw some near the parking lot.
This hike might not be for everyone, but we LOVE it! We love challenging hikes, especially the ones that resemble an obstacle course. It was so much fun climbing up and down the ropes. Not only that, but the views and the hot springs are worth every minute! We can’t wait to go back!
These are the gear that we personally use and find them helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
adventure gear
Good hiking shoes are recommended on these adventures. Vy uses the Merrell Women’s Moab 2 hiking boots
Dustin’s shoes are Targhee III Waterproof
Make sure to use lots of sunscreens! We use eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen, Stream2Sea SPF 30.
Face sunscreen is also important. We love these tinted, organic All Good Organic Sunscreen Butter.
We recommend bring good water shoes. This way, you can keep your hiking shoes dry for the way back up the slippery rocks. This is the one Dustin uses.
This is the water shoes that Vy uses.
We also love these approach shoes from La Sportiva. They drain and dry fast. They also have wonderful traction.
This is Dustin’s version of the La Sportiva approach shoes.
Bring ALOT of water! Vy loves the Camelback L.U.X.E.
For shorter hikes, the Patagonia Women’s Nine Trails Pack 18L is perfect to hold water and your essentials.
If you want something lighter, we love the packable Patagonia Women’s Houdini® Jacket and Patagonia Men’s Houdini® Jacket
other things to bring
- Gloves. We didn’t use it, but it can be helpful on the rope.
- Swimsuits
- Plastic bag or dry bag to put wet items in
- Snacks and/or lunch. For healthy and easy snacks, check out some of our recipes.
- Flashlight if you have a late start, just in case.
camera gear
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