Did you know the meandering Colorado River is laced with natural hot springs, slot canyons, and waterfalls? Neither did I until just a few months ago.
After viewing breathtaking photos of Emerald Cave on Pinterest, I immediately started researching the details of this magical place. Soon I discovered this cave was located along the Black Canyon National Water Trail which runs below the Hoover Dam just south of Las Vegas.
While reading this blog post and this blog post about the many natural hot springs that trickle through this 12 mile stretch of river, I decided to surprise my husband with a canoe trip for our 16th anniversary.
THE SECLUDED BLACK CANYON WATER TRAIL
This romantic river canoe adventure was magical in so many ways. One of the most amazing parts of this adventure was hiking through slot canyons to find ourselves soaking in multiple hot spring pools.
Camping under the stars on the banks of the river in a secluded cove truly added to the experience.
Oh did I mention the baby ducks that waddled around our camp and swam along our canoe? I’m going off on a rabbit trail now, but I just get so excited about the details.
If you don’t know me, I LOVE details. That’s why I’m writing this post because I want to share ALL the details of how I planned the ultimate river adventure and what I wish I would have known before the adventure.
How Much Does It Cost and What To Bring?
First of all, you need to decide if you want to take a guided tour or self-guided tour. It was our anniversary so we obviously didn’t want anyone else along. That was an easy decision. I didn’t even look into the guided tour but it is an option.
After calling multiple canoe and kayak rental companies, I decided to use Desert Adventures because they offered the best prices.
Our cost was $75 per person for both days, so the total bill for 1 canoe for 2 days for 2 people was $150. Individual kayaks were an option as well ($80 per person versus $75 for a canoe). I highly recommend this company because their staff went above and beyond to make sure we had a top-notch experience.
They also rent camping gear for a reasonable price. One couple on our trip flew in from out of state and rented all their gear from Desert Adventures. This is a great option if you don’t own gear or you are flying into Las Vegas and don’t want to check a bag.
Here’s the Keepin’ It Simple Checklist of all the gear we took with us and what we SHOULD HAVE brought with us. (I will spare you the details so you can read at your own leisure.)
How To Get A Permit and Best Time To Go
Next, you need a permit to camp on the river. The good news is that Desert Adventures takes care of this for you.
There’s a fee and it’s greatly discounted if you have a National Parks Pass. The permit is $28 per person without the pass and $12 per person with the pass. You just need to call them to make sure they have permits for the dates you will want camp.
Since we are discussing dates, you may be asking what time of year is best to go? Well, it all depends on the experience you’re looking for.
The temperature is cooler in the spring but there’s always a chance of high wind causing headwinds for canoers and kayakers. Summer is obviously boiling hot but that 54-degree water probably feels refreshing; however, the hot springs would be less enjoyable in my opinion.
Desert Adventures is open year round and the winter months are fairly mild and less crowded according to a local person. We went in May and didn’t know anything about the headwinds. We lucked out and enjoyed beautiful weather; however, the day we were leaving, the high winds caused lots of cancellations.
Personally, I would love to go back during the winter and camp by a hot spring.
Oh yes, there are some nice little secret spots to set up camp right near the natural hot springs but I don’t want to spoil the adventure. The best part of this trip is exploring and discovering your “own” secret camping spot. You might want to study the map or better yet download Basemap app and view the area in 3D.
Getting There
As a side note, we drove our RV and camped at Lake Mead RV Village the night before our trip. Only 1.9 miles away from the Desert Adventure meeting site, this made for an easy morning. We were allowed to park our RV overnight for no fee at the meeting site which was a nice little perk.
Parking availability wasn’t an issue. If you decide to stay at the Lake Mead RV Village, you will need a National Park Pass to enter. (Oops, they forgot to tell us that little detail. Fortunately, we had a pass.)
If you decide to fly into Las Vegas, you can catch an Uber down to the Hoover Dam Lodge and stay there until you launch out on your canoe trip. The parking lot to the left of the lodge is the meeting site for Desert Adventures anyhow.
Or you might want to enjoy a luxury hotel on the Vegas strip, which is only 45 minutes away. I’ve never stayed at the lodge but currently Google reviews show that it’s a 2-star hotel with 4.2-star reviews. This is where you will be dropped off after the canoe trip as well.
Boulder City is nearby and you should be able to stock up on food for the camping trip from a local grocery store.
The RV trip was fun because we drove through Zion National Park on our way back home. Let me just say, you can’t go wrong whichever way you decide to travel.
Map Out the Canoe Trip
Now for the best details of all, let us pull out the map of the river. This map was provided to us by Desert Adventures before we loaded on the busses to be dropped off at our launch site. They didn’t really discuss the map in detail and I REALLY wish I would have studied it more on our drive to the launch site.
See the color-coded shapes on the map? Those are the mile markers and large matching mile marker signs that can also be seen along the river’s edge. Points of interest are also indicated on the map. On the back of the map is even more details about the points of interest.
I pulled this map out of my waterproof phone case and unfolded it at least 100 times to locate different points of interest. It also fell in the water multiple times. Next time, I would probably bring a sheet protector to keep it protected and zip tie it onto the edge of the canoe for easier referencing. Unfortunately, the Points of Interest aren’t marked along the edge of the river.
A group of young college students launched at the same time as us and this was their third trip. They were kind enough to share tidbits of information with us.
It’s quite easy to pass Points of Interest if you’re not attentive. The first 5 miles is where most of the exploring takes place. Canoe the edge of the river as it’s easier to paddle back upstream if you happen to pass up one of these amazing places. The water tends to flow a bit slower along the edges as well.
Another map I LOVE to use is an app called Basemap. I downloaded two high-resolution maps of the Black Canyon National Water Trail the night before our trip and I’m so thankful I did.
I added pictures on the Basemap app all along the way. You can interact with the photos and see their gps coordinates by following us on the app, which is FREE by the way. I did upgrade to the PRO version for the unlimited offline maps feature. You can watch a detailed video on how I use it.
Now let us take a closer look at each of the Points of Interest on the Desert Adventures map.
Points of Interest
Hoover Dam
The first point of interest is the famous Hoover Dam.
From the meeting site, all participating parties will be bussed down to Hoover Dam where everyone pitches in to unload canoes, kayaks, and equipment.
Once you launch your canoe or kayak, you can paddle close to the base of Hoover Dam to take photos. From there, you will paddle a short distance to the Sauna Cave which will be on your right.
Sauna Cave
Don’t sweat over the little things, we’re here to help you experience the Sauna Cave to its fullest.
We hiked up to the cave and didn’t crawl in because we didn’t realize the cave was off to the left. We looked “inside” what we thought was considered the cave and left disappointed. Now we have an excuse to go back.
Actually, we want our kids to experience this trip with us someday soon. Don’t miss out like us. Crawl up into the cave and enjoy the black hole sauna experience.
Gold Strike Canyon
Another short jaunt down the river on your right is Gold Strike Canyon Hot Springs.
There’s a little pull-out area with hot springs gushing out of the rocks, but this isn’t the canyon hot springs. We stopped here for a little snack break and it was lovely.
Be careful this water is piping hot at 142 degrees or so. If you’re wearing closed-toed shoes, you can easily scald your feet. The mix of hot water with the 54-degree river water made for an interesting dancing experience….just sayin’.
Right around the corner is Gold Strike Canyon and this is where the magical experience begins.
Make sure and tie up your canoe as the river rises and falls from the water being tethered out from Hoover Dam.
Before exploring the canyon, make sure and take your daypack as you may want to enjoy a cold drink while soaking in the hot springs.
Someone placed little tealight candles along the rocks lining the pool, which would be so romantic under the stars at night. (Maybe add tealight candles and matches to your daypack?)
"This was the most magical canyon of all."
The Rain Cave
Enjoy the canyon walls and the echoing of the waves as you wind your way down the river past mile marker 62 where you canoe past the Rain Cave nicknamed the “Ear” because that’s what it looks like.
We didn’t stop and explore here because we were too excited about exploring Boyscout Canyon Hot Springs.
In hindsight, we should have stopped and explored the area and taken more photos.
Did I forget to mention that we arrived at the RV Campground at midnight and we were a little on the tired side? I had my mind set on hot springs and he had his mind set on finding a campsite site.
Boyscout Canyon
Boyscout Canyon Hot Springs was another magical stop. It required a bit more scrambling which was super fun.
We didn’t find any hot pools here but I’m sure with a bit more exploring we would have discovered one up higher in the canyon.
Just hiking and “rock climbing” through hot springs water was quite an experience in itself.
Be very careful as the rocks are extremely slippery from the algae. Wear shoes with a good grip.
Don’t forget your daypack as you explore this canyon.
Arizona Hot Springs
Another 2.5 miles downstream is the sought-after Arizona Hot Springs.
So the Colorado River divides the states of Arizona and Nevada which is a fun little fact to note.
This area is the only place along the river that offers port-a potties. Most people like staying here for the amenities and the hot springs as well.
The hot springs are tucked into the canyon about a 15-minute hike away. An old ladder must be used to access the two pools tucked up in the canyon.
Although this is a popular place to camp overnight, we decided to ditch the crowd and paddle back upstream to around mile marker 60, where we found a private little cove with a nice beachy campsite. We didn’t have access to hot springs from here but it was a beautiful place to relax.
The sound of the river splashing against the canyon truly sounded just like the ocean waves splashing against the beach.
To top off the experience, we enjoyed watching the mama duck herd her little ducklings around the beach. (This is why May is a great time to go.)
Weeping Springs Cove
After a peaceful nights sleep, we left the campsite around 10:30 am. This allowed us ample time to do a bit more exploring and peacefully float down the river. Our next point of interest was Weeping Springs Cove, just past mile marker 59. It’s a beautiful trickling waterfall that you can canoe right up to.
Balanced Rock
Next is the Balanced Rock which we just completely past by.
We must have been in deep conversation at this point and not paying attention to the map. Maybe that’s when we were discussing who should paddle on which side and when to paddle:)
One of us ran us into the canyon wall but I won’t say who it was!
Sorry, but I can’t tell you anything about the Balanced Rock. Please share a photo with us when you take this adventure.
The Rapids
As for The Rapids that you see indicated on the map, those are not “Colorado” style rapids.
It was smooth sailing the whole way except for the wakes from tourist boats cruising by.
I will say, a few of the wakes were a little “iffy.” I was certain we might tip at some point but we never did. The video below will give you a little more lifelike insight.
Emerald Cave
The final point of interest, Emerald Cave, was the most popular one by far. This cave has been featured on several magazine covers.
A line of canoes and kayaks were patiently waiting for their turn to experience this cave.
The reflection of the water on the cave wall was a spectacular view. The cave itself is much smaller than it appears in photos.
Most people were canoeing in backward to get the picturesque view.
If you stick around long enough, you may get lucky enough to hear what a tour guide has to say about this cave.
Willow Beach
The take-out point can be a bit confusing at first. It’s not a big deal if you’re on time, but if your running tight on time, the details of where to “exit” the river would be helpful.
So there is Willow Beach and Willow Beach Marina. Just south of the Marina is the takeout point which is around a sharp bend in the river. Here you will see Desert Adventure buses, along with canoes and kayaks lining the beach.
Once you unload your boat, you can grab a drink and food over at the Marina while waiting for the other canoers and kayakers to arrive.
We are excited to go back and explore more of the canyons with our kids and find that “secret” camping spot.
This river getaway is unlike any other we have experienced and budget friendly as well. I hope the details of our trip will help simplify your adventure to this magical piece of the Colorado River.
It’s an experience you will always remember.
If you have any tips or advice that would be helpful to others or questions about our adventure, please leave them in the comments below.
Happy Canoeing!
