By Todd Schacherl
The Black Canyon Water Trail was established in 2014 and is nearly 30 miles long going from just down river from Hoover Dam at river mile marker 64 to Eldorado Canyon at river mile marker 39. Along this water trail can be found caves, hot springs, slot canyons and wildlife, including bighorn sheep, bald eagles, turtles and more. Almost every side canyon between the dam and the Arizona Hot Springs has hot water running down it.
Best Time to Go
From October to March are the best times. Of course, going during the summer is possible if you go very early in the morning. There is sort of a cooling effect being on the water, so even when it gets hot, it doesn’t feel as hot as when you get out of the river. Plus, you can always reach into the water and splash some of that 42-degree water on you and your friends to cool down. This is where the super soakers come into play.
Sites Along the Way
Sauna Cave
This was a test bore, during the construction of the Hoover Dam, into the canyon wall on the Nevada side about a half-mile down river from where you put in. It’s about 150 feet long and is full of hot water. Bring your headlamp because it gets dark toward the end. During the summer, it’s too hot to get very far into the tunnel.
Gold Strike Hot Springs
This canyon has several hot spring pools starting from within a few hundred yards of the river to a mile or two up the canyon. This canyon can also be hiked top down, but that part is closed from May 15 to Sept. 30 due to the heat.
Lone Palm Hot Springs
The lone palm isn’t lonely anymore. There are quite a few of its babies now. The “Lone Palm” is about 50 yards down from a waterfall that drops onto a beach or right into the water depending on how high the river is. The area above the waterfall is an amazing ecological area with water running year-round. Hike to the lone palm and climb a small wall to your left to get access to the area above the waterfall.
Boy Scout Canyon
This canyon is also a popular canyoneering route, but for kayakers, it offers an amazing hike to hot and cold springs. There is one spot where there is very hot water just 10 yards away from very cold water. There is a “raining wall” where water drips down from a wall and overhanging. There are often pools set up with sandbags, and they are not typically used, so if you are looking for a peaceful place to sit in hot water, this canyon is a good option.
Moonscape Canyon
This is the next canyon down the river on the Nevada side. It also has hot water running down it. It starts by traversing an area that is covered with debris from trees that have been washed down. The debris can be tens of feet deep. This canyon does have an otherworldly feel to it, hence Moonscape Canyon.
White Rock Canyon
This canyon is on the Arizona side right before the Arizona Hot Springs. Many people hike down this canyon from the trailhead at mile marker 4 on US 93. Some people camp in this canyon, but the beach is a bit rocky and not desirable for tents.
Arizona Hot Springs
This is where most people camp when doing an overnight on the river. It has a vault toilet, which usually isn’t in that great of shape. Some of the best hot springs in the area, if not Nevada, are about a quarter mile up the canyon from the river. There you will come to a 20-foot ladder that takes you up to the pools. The lower pool is the coolest at about 95 degrees. Each pool gets hotter until you get to the top pool, which is often about 114 degrees. These pools can get crowded on the weekends. During the summer, there aren’t as many people, as the trails are oftentimes closed due to the heat. However, the pools are usually washed out from the summer monsoons, making the pools kind of shallow.
Emerald Cave
This is a popular destination for short kayak trips from Willow Beach as well as a stop on the way down to Willow Beach. The cool thing about this “cave” is it is not much of a cave and more of an indentation in the canyon wall caused by a fault. If you get there at the right time, usually about 2 p.m., the sun will shine into the cave and turn the water emerald green. Unfortunately, around that time is also when there are a lot of other kayakers trying to get their photo in the cave. Don’t be surprised if you see 20 or more kayakers lined up waiting.
Also, just downstream from the cave on the Arizona side is an amazing canyon to explore. The best time to explore it is September to May; otherwise, it’s too hot. It only takes about an hour or so to get to the top of the canyon and back down.
Willow Beach
This is a developed marina where they rent boats, pontoon boats, kayaks and canoes. They even have a restaurant and a small convenience store. This is where most people will end their kayak trip down the river as well as the starting point for those doing the shorter-day or half-day trips to Emerald Cave.
Past Willow Beach
For those looking for the full Black Canyon Water Trail experience, they will continue past Willow Beach and take out at Nelson’s Landing at the end of Emerald Canyon. There are many side canyons and coves to explore and camp. There’s Quehoe’s cave, Burrow Wash and Frogman Petroglyph, just to name a few.
Outfitters
The only way to get to the launch area below Hoover Dam is to engage one of the outfitters. They have exclusive access to the necessary permits to use the road to the launch area. Prices can range from about $40 if you have your own kayak to more than $500 for guided, multiday tours. Most day trips are about $100 to $200 per person and include nearly everything except a swimsuit and water shoes.
Guided or Go On Our Own?
The outfitters offer guided tours or just the ride down to the launch and the shuttle back to your car. They can also provide all the equipment needed such as the kayak, canoe, life jackets, paddles and oars. For overnight trips, they often supply things like sleeping bags, tents, sleeping mats and food. They also offer dry bags to keep stuff dry such as spare clothes and electronics. Make sure to bring something for your cell phone to keep dry and float if you drop it into the water.
Camping on the River
Going from Hoover Dam to Willow Beach is about 15 miles and can be done in a single day, but then there’s not much time to explore the side canyons. Typically, people will camp at least one night if they are going to Willow Beach or multiple nights if doing the whole water trail. Common places to camp are Ringbolt Canyon, where the Arizona Hot Springs are located, or Crane’s Nest Wash, which is only about 5 miles from Willow Beach. Keep in mind when camping at Ringbolt Canyon, there are often a lot of people camping there. It’s not unheard of to have a couple hundred or more campers during times like Spring Break.
The Wind Is No Fun
Besides the heat during the summer, another thing that can ruin a trip down Black Canyon is the wind. Winds above 15 mph are no fun, especially when the wind is in your face. While the downstream flow is about 2-3 mph, the wind almost always blows upstream, and the downstream flow will not overcome winds of that speed. That means having to constantly paddle because once you stop paddling, you start flowing back upstream. Even when the wind is at your back, the wind tends to push the kayak to one side or the other, forcing you to constantly paddle on one side just to keep going straight.
Winds tend to be stronger in the afternoon, so an early start will help to avoid the winds. Most of the outfitters will let you cancel your reservations due to wind if you cancel at least 24 hours before. The only thing you will lose is the cost of the permit. Otherwise, you can keep the remaining as a balance for a later time or get a refund of the remaining funds.
Resources
Weather.com
Weather.com is a great resource to find out what the winds will be like. Search for Boulder City, NV to get an idea of what the weather will look like. Weather.com will let you look up the hourly forecast to see what the winds will be hour by hour up to 48 hours. To view further, a subscription is required.
National Park Service
https://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/black-canyon-water-trail.htm
This site will give you more information about the Black Canyon Water Trail as well as a list of outfitters to contact. It will also show alerts that can affect your trip. It’s good practice to check here first before committing to a trip.
