Between Arizona And Nevada Is A Secret Water Trail With Camping, Caverns, And Hot Springs

The Black Canyon Water Trail follows the Lower Colorado River, along the border between Nevada and Arizona, and its upper reaches make up a beginner-friendly, scenery-packed trip that has been singled out by National Geographic as one of the best water trails in America. The 12 miles of flat water between the Hoover Dam and Arizona's Willow Beach are a true hidden gem, but the start of the trail is less than 40 miles from the Las Vegas Strip, making it a popular day trip for casino hotel guests.

This paddle trip is packed with scenic attractions. You'll visit waterfalls, hot springs, palm tree oases, slot canyons, and inviting beaches. You'll even paddle into a cavern that feels like you're inside a green, glowing lava lamp. You may even see desert bighorn sheep, bald eagles, ospreys and Peregrine falcons. Based on my experience, the more often you slow down and observe the canyon walls, the more wildlife you're likely to spot — those sheep are the same color as the rocks, so scan for movement.

While many outdoor activities in the desert shut down in hot weather, you can paddle the canyon year-round. Because water released by the dam flows from the bottom of Lake Mead, the Lower Colorado River maintains a year-round water temperature of around 54 degrees. This means you always have access to a refreshing cold plunge on your paddle trip, even when temperatures soar into the triple digits. The National Parks Service closes the hiking trails to the canyon's hot springs for the summer, usually starting in May, when temperatures make hiking unsafe, but they remain open to paddlers. Make this an overnight camping trip, and you can soak under the stars.

Whether you opt for a guided or self-guided tour, or take a shuttle to the launch site with your own kayak or canoe (Blazing Paddles is one outfitter that will do all three), your operator will handle your permit to enter the restricted-access security zone where you'll be launching. Many operators pick up from hotels on the Las Vegas Strip, or you can rendezvous with them at the parking lot next to the Hoover Dam Lodge for the quick 12-minute drive to the launch zone.

The first place you'll want to get out of your kayak is at Gold Strike Canyon on the Nevada side, where you can tie up your boat on the beach, then wander up a slot canyon to Gold Strike Hot Springs. Each cascading pool is a different temperature, so explore a bit to find your perfect soak. Just a few minutes further downriver, also in Nevada, Boy Scout Canyon has another series of hot spring pools, but you'll need to use a series of knotted ropes to climb up slippery rock faces to reach them — only try it if you have grippy water shoes. Or just wait for the easy-to-access Arizona Hot Springs — one of America's best – around halfway through your journey. You'll find a crescent-shaped beach, campsites, and a vault toilet here, making it the place to camp if you're doing the trip as an overnighter.

Past Arizona Hot Springs are numerous inviting coves and beaches, but the next highlight is enchanting Emerald Cove. Paddle into the glowing cavern where filtered sunlight bathes the rocks in shimmering green sequins. You're only two miles from Willow Beach now, and once you reach the end, your tour outfitter will whisk you back to Las Vegas.

Once on the water, it was immediately clear to me that taking the extra trouble and expense of launching at the dam was worth it. The sight of the 726-foot Hoover Dam towering above you as you float away from the launch ramp is awe-inspiring. You can only gain this vantage point by using a paid service, as the launch is within the dam's security zone, so paddling up this far from Willow Beach is forbidden.

Sundays and Mondays year-round, the canyon north of Willow Beach is off-limits to motorized vessels, making for a quiet backcountry wilderness experience. But even on a busy weekend, I found that there is plenty of peace to be had, especially in the canyon's upper reaches. The closer you get to Willow Beach, the more river traffic you'll encounter. This is a placid paddle, with no rapids and very little perceptible current. 

On a calm day, it feels like a lake. The biggest obstacle you're likely to face is wind, which can whip through the canyon from the south, slowing your progress. A northerly breeze, however, will help you along, so check the forecast and pace yourself accordingly. If you're self-touring, you'll need to meet your operator at Willow Beach by a set time, around eight hours after launch.

You may not think visiting hot springs will be fun on a hot summer day, but going back-and-forth between the icy Colorado River and the hot spring pools will be just the invigorating break you need (there are three springs with soaking pools en route). Here's a tip: If you wet down your sunshirt and sun hat in the river before paddling on, they'll keep you cool until you can find the next beach.