Located about 40 minutes from Las Vegas, right below Hoover Dam, is a hidden paradise for paddlers and adventurers alike. This hidden paradise is the 12 miles of Black Canyon Water Trail, one of the more beautiful sections of the Colorado River. Black Canyon Water Trail straddles the border of Arizona and Nevada. Not only does it have striking desert landscape, dramatic canyon walls, but it also has many beautiful slot canyons, fun scrambling and rappelling, as well as amazing hot springs. While you can paddle this section of Black Canyon Water Trail all in 1 day, we highly recommend breaking it up into a 1 or 2-day camping adventure. There is so much to see, so you’ll need at least 2 days to really experience this awesome water trail.
Canoe camping along the Black Canyon Water Trail in Nevada has been on our bucket list for a while. However, not until recently have we had a chance to do this adventure after talking to our buddy Phil. With Phil, we put together a group of 12 to conquer the Black Canyon Water Trail and make lasting memories. There is a lot of research and planning ahead of time. So, in this blog, we will go over everything that you need to know. This way, you can have an amazing and safe paddling and camping trip along the Black Canyon Water Trail.
The Black Canyon Water Trail straddles between Nevada and Arizona. It starts at the bottom of Hoover Dam (river mile 64), along the Colorado River, and ends at Eldorado Canyon (river mile 39). This water trail is about 30 miles long. However, the most popular section of this water trail is the 12-mile section from Hoover Dam to Willow Beach (river mile 52.5). This 12-mile section is narrow, with mostly calmer water. When we did our trip, the water was so calm and glassy for our entire way. This section also has many hot springs, slot canyons, waterfalls, and alcoves. In short, you’ll get to see so much for less effort.
There are 3 main launch sites for Black Canyon Water Trail: Hoover Dam, Willow Beach, and Eldorado Canyon.
Make sure to dress in layers to stay warm from the wind.
Depending on your fitness level and where you launch, many people can paddle the Black Canyon Water Trail in one day, launching from Hoover. It is easier to get a permit and plan for a day trip than an overnight. However, we highly recommend camping along Black Canyon Water Trail for at least one night. There is so much to see. As a day trip, we feel that you won’t have enough time to really enjoy the beauty of Black Canyon. You can do 2 nights, but we think 1 night should be sufficient.
This depends on your fitness level and what you want to do.
We really like launching from Hoover Dam, camping for 1 night, and taking out at Willow Beach. This route is one-way downstream, requires the least paddling effort, and has the best payoff. However, it also requires planning and getting a permit in advance. As mentioned above, you will need to go with an approved outfitter to launch from Hoover Dam. You can either do this trip as a tour or by yourself. We prefer to go by ourselves because we know the route and know what to expect. If you choose this option, we recommend renting a canoe instead of bringing your own. However, depending on the outfitter, you’ll have the option of bringing your own paddlecraft.
If you have your own kayaks or canoes and don’t want to deal with permits or an outfitter, you can launch from Willow Beach. This is a round-trip adventure since you cannot take your paddlecrafts out at any location other than Willow Beach and Eldorado Canyon. For this route, you will have to paddle upstream to Hoover Dam before turning back. It is about a 24-mile round trip. If you choose to launch from Willow Beach, we definitely recommend camping for at least 2 nights. This way, you can break up the length of your paddle and also have time to explore the beautiful Black Canyon Water Trail.
You should ONLY launch from Eldorado Canyon IF you’re an experienced paddler. This is a 60-mile round trip. You’ll need to have your own kayak or canoe and be able to carry it through a desert wash for 0.25 miles to your car.
The National Park’s website has a list of all the approved outfitters for launching from Hoover Dam to Black Canyon Water Trail. Some of these outfitters only offer tours, some have both tours and self-guided options. We went with Venture Out Vegas, and they were AMAZING! They had everything from solid gear to maps and a wealth of knowledge about where to stop along the river, to jokes, and overall great vibes. Within 5 minutes of meeting the owner, Blair, we felt like we had been pals for quite a while. Venture Out Vegas is also one of the very few outfitters that allow you to take your own paddlecrafts. If you want to bring your own, don’t hesitate to reach out to them so they can work with you on the logistics.
Depending on how many days you’re planning to be on the water, the packing lists can be different. If you’re camping longer, you’ll need more food, clothing, and such. However, there are a few essential items that you should bring. REI and PaddlingMag have some great suggestions. We recommend keeping your gear light. Even though there’s a lot of room on a canoe for tons of gear, you’ll have to paddle with all the weight the whole time. Also, make sure to keep all gear in waterproof bags and containers, just in case of possible rain or if your boat capsizes. Below is a list of some of the items we brought:
The day started dark and early. At this point, the sun wasn’t up yet. Since our launch time was at 8 am, our meet-up time was at 6:45 am. This gives us enough time to load our gear, get our ID check, and for Blair to go over the orientation before driving to the launch ramp. Since our meet-up place with Venture Out Vegas is at the parking lot next to the Hoover Dam Lodge, we all stayed there the night before. This makes it so much easier.
If you are facing the casino, you will be meeting up with Venture Out Vegas at the small parking lot on the far left side of the casino, next to the Tesla charging station (36°00’34″N 114°47’13″W). Once Blair and his people from Venture Out Vegas arrived, we loaded our gear onto the canoe trailer before having our orientation. We also had our ID checked by the park ranger beforehand. Asher forgot his ID; however, since he’s a puppy, he didn’t need one. However, he will need a life jacket. In fact, everyone (from humans to pups) is required to wear a life jacket the whole time when on the water. Since we are launching from Hoover Dam, all of us, including our gear, had to be shuttled in by Venture Out Vegas. So, after the orientation, we all alighted the shuttles, ready for our awesome adventure.
It was a 12-15-minute drive from the Hoover Dam Lodge to our launch point. The launch point is inside the restricted Hoover Dam area. Here, we have about 15 minutes to unload and get everything, including all the canoes and gear, onto the water. It was an intense 15 minutes. We were all busy running back and forth, helping to carry all the canoes, kayaks, and gear to the water. The path leading down to the water is paved but narrow, with a few switchbacks. It was a bit tricky when you have to navigate while carrying a 17-foot canoe. Even so, we were all very efficient.
As for personal gear, Blair told us to just get all of the gear of our group onto the canoes, no matter who it belonged to. This way, we can get on the water within the time limit. Once we’re on the water, we can stop on a beach a short way down the river to repack everything.
Even though we have a lot of experience with kayaks, this was our first time in a 2-person canoe. I’ll admit, it took us a second to get the hang of it. If you haven’t paddled a canoe before, we recommend watching some YouTube videos to get the technique down. Typically, the person in the back is in charge of steering and keeping pace with the person in the front.
Less than half a mile downriver, we spotted the Repack beach that Blair mentioned. So, we pulled in to reorganize all our gear. From here, there is a good view of the Mike O’Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. This beach is also home to the Sauna Cave.
If you would like to visit the sauna cave (36°00’12.2″N 114°44’36.1″W), you can find it at the far end of the beach. The trail can be hard to find because it’s just a small gap in the trees. Grippy shoes are a must here. You will be scrambling up a short but steep hill before you make the final climb into the cave. This climb can be tricky because it’s slippery. However, with good shoes, you should be fine. When we visited, there was a handline to make the climb easier.
The Sauna Cave is humid. The name is quite fitting. The cave goes in about 30 feet before it disappears around a corner into the darkness. It gets more humid the further you go in, to the point of being uncomfortable and hard to breathe. We went in as far as we could, but it eventually got so hot that we turned back. From inside the Sauna Cave, we got a great view of the Black Canyon Water Trail and the Colorado River below. Since we have a lot on our agenda for the day, we didn’t stay here for too long. Make sure to watch your footing on the way down the cave.
Just down the river from Sauna Cave is the beach for Gold Strike Hot Springs. Gold Strike Hot Springs is beautiful. We highly recommend making a stop. The highlight of this hot spring is the hot waterfalls pouring into the pools below. This hot spring is one of the popular hot springs for locals to hang out. We’ve been to Gold Strike Hot Springs before, but from the top down. It is so much easier to access the hot springs from the water. From land, it is a strenuous 5-mile hike through the desert wash with scrambling, tight squeezes, and many sketchy climbs with handlines.
About 0.4 miles after Gold Strike Hot Springs, there is a picturesque waterfall on the left side of the river. From these waterfalls, it is about 0.85 miles to Boy Scout Canyon (35°59’05.8″N 114°44’39.8″W), our main adventure for the day. Boy Scout Canyon is an adventure all by itself. This canyon is home to hot springs and beautiful passageways. While you can access the hot springs easily, going past the hot springs requires rock climbing, intense scrambling, and rappelling. It is gorgeous and really fun, but please don’t attempt it if you don’t have the proper skill and gear. This was the highlight of our trip, including Asher, the adventure pup. He did so good throughout the whole canyon. By the way, if you want to bring your dog here, you’ll need to bring his harness and rope and know how to ascend and lower your pup on the climbs.
Emerald Cave is a popular destination near Willow Beach, known for its turquoise water when the sunlight hits the water a certain way. There is also another cave that has the same effect, just right before the Arizona Hot Springs campsite. This is what we nicknamed the Mini Emerald Cave (35°57’52.5″N 114°43’50.0″W). Mini Emerald Cave is about 1.65 miles from Boy Scout Canyon. This cave only fits one canoe at a time. There’s not a lot of room for maneuvering. This means you can test your steering skills by entering the cave backward. Once inside, we were treated to a really neat triangular cave that featured the emerald green water that the Emerald Cave is famous for. It was quite a sight to see. We were grateful that Blair told us about it because it would be pretty easy to miss.
After leaving the Mini Emerald Cave, we floated down to the beach for Arizona Hot Springs and campsite (35°57’34.8″N 114°43’42.0″W). This is where we’ll spend our first night. It is about 4 miles from where we launch near the Hoover Dam to this campsite.
There are tons of space at the Arizona Hot Springs Campsite as well as a vault toilet. Although we recommend bringing some wag bags with you. The vault toilets were pretty gross when we went. Also, make sure to pull your canoes further onto higher ground. The water level here can fluctuate by at least 7ft at any given time. If you don’t anchor your canoes or pull them up on higher ground, you might not have a canoe when you wake up the next day. If there’s rain in the forecast, we also recommend flipping your canoe upside down so it won’t accumulate water. When we were there, it rained throughout the night.
Another important thing is to make sure to keep ALL your food and valuables inside your tent and your trashes away from the campsite. (By the way, make sure to pack ALL your trash with you when you leave. You can dispose of them at Willow Beach). There is a rowdy gang of skunks that lives here. Throughout the night, they went around our campsite to steal backpacks and food.
One of our friends lost their big dry bag full of food. Our other friend, Phil, almost got his 35 Litre backpack that has his wallet in it stolen by the skunk. Luckily, he woke up on time and heroically defended his belongings against the naughty skunk. They also tried to open the zipper to get inside Raymond’s tent as well and stole all our pastries from our ice chest. Pretty much everyone in our group got harassed by the persistent skunks.
If you’re camping at Arizona Hot Springs Campsite, you need to visit Arizona Hot Springs. It’s a short stroll and a ladder climb before you get there. Arizona Hot Springs is really beautiful. It is one of our favorite hot springs because the hot springs themselves are very unique. It is the only one we know of that is nestled between a slot canyon. There’s something novel about soaking in a hot spring at night. Please note that it is clothing OPTIONAL here, especially at night. You can also access Arizona Hot Springs from land. It is about a 5.8-mile hike. This hike is not as strenuous as the Gold Strike Hot Springs.
After a fitful night of sleeping and fighting the skunks, we got up around 5 am so we could pack up and head out before 7 am. Since Blair needed to pick us up from Willow Beach and shuttle us back to our cars at the Hoover Dam Lodge, we had to give him an estimated arrival time. We decided on the 11 am pick-up time. You can schedule the pick-up time earlier or later if you prefer. And for some reason, if you cannot make it to Willow Beach by your scheduled time, you just need to let Blair know ahead of time. We chose the earlier time because the water was usually a lot calmer in the morning. The wind seems to pick up in the afternoon and evening.
It was pouring rain when we woke up. We decided to wait to see if the rain would stop. However, it didn’t seem like the rain would stop any time soon. After talking to Phil, we decided to break camp and went on our way regardless. Luckily, the rain stopped as soon as we got our canoes down to the waterline. By the time we left, it was 7 am. This gives us 4 hours to cover 8 miles to Willow Beach.
Despite the early rain, the water was so calm and glassy. The condition was just perfect: overcast sky, calm air, and still water. We effortlessly glided through the still water. Along the way, there are a few interesting alcoves with clear water that we could have checked out. Since we didn’t know if we could make it back to Willow Beach on time, we didn’t want to dilly-dally too much. However, we couldn’t help but check out a beautiful alcove on the right-hand side of the river (35°56’46.6″N 114°43’53.1″W). Here, tall canyon walls cradle clear, emerald water. Tucked in the corner on the side, there is a small waterfall, trickling down the walls to the water.
About 1 hour and 20 minutes into our paddling day, we realized we had already covered about half of our distance. This was due to the perfect conditions. However, keep in mind that the conditions on the Black Canyon Water Trail won’t always be like this. Our buddy Phil did this trip multiple times, and according to him, the river conditions can get very rough, especially on windy days. One of the times he went, he said that they had to paddle all their might just to keep the canoe going backward.
Since we were way ahead of schedule, we decided to take a break to eat our breakfast. The beach we found is a great spot for a break (35°55’14.3″N 114°42’29.8″W). It would also make a great campsite. The beach area leads into a canyon. Since we still have to get back, we didn’t explore too far in the canyon.
After leaving our break spot, it was another 2 miles before getting to Emerald Cave. These 2 miles of the Black Canyon Water Trail are really beautiful, especially in calm water. The way the canyon walls reflected on the glassy water was spectacular. When we got close to Emerald Cave, we noticed a bunch of kayaks across it. They were all gathered to scream inside a small cave. Apparently, this cave echoes, so it was a fun thing to do to scream there.
As for Emerald Cave, it is located on our left-hand side, from the Hoover Dam. Emerald Cave is a very popular location here because it is only 2 miles from Willow Beach. It is known for its glowing emerald water. However, you have to be here at the right time. This is usually noon, when the sun is nice and bright. When the bright noon sun reflects down into the water, it glows. Since this place is popular, it can get very busy during peak hours, especially on the weekend. You might have to wait in a long line to enter the cave. In our opinion, the Mini Emerald Cave is much better.
Willow Beach is about 2 miles from Emerald Cave. With all our stops, we made it to Willow Beach with a few minutes to spare. By this time, the wind started to pick up. We were all happy that we opted for the earlier pick-up time. Even though it was perfect conditions, everyone in our group was ready for the paddling to be over. So, when we saw Blair waiting for us with the shuttles, we couldn’t be more excited.
Our adventure canoe camping on the Black Canyon Water Trail was amazing! We are definitely looking forward to going back and exploring more spots. There is so much to see along the river, and we felt like we barely scratched the surface! Another one of our very memorable camping trips on the water is our adventure on the tiny houseboat in Florida.
Happy Adventuring. Don’t forget to check out the related posts below for more inspiration on your upcoming adventures. While at it, follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our YouTube channel! We’ll love you forever!
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Hi! We are Dustin & Vy, the proud creators of Live That Adventure. We created this website because we wanted to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. On here, you’ll find everything from hiking, canyoneering, kayaking, and snorkeling to adventure and travel tips, gear reviews, and bucket list items such as bungee jumping or wing walking. We’ll show you the ropes so you can do them too!
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