Colorado
20. Black Canyon
| Difficulty | I |
| Length | 26 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 1 fpm |
| Gauge | Colorado Rv Blw Hoover Dam, Az-nv |
| Flow Rate as of 29 minutes | 44.02 ftrunnable |
| Reach Info Last Updated | December 8, 2023 |
Overview
This 12 mile run from the base of Hoover Dam to the slack water of Mohave Reservoir can be done as a day trip but is most typically enjoyed as an overnight. While the dam itself is managed by Bureau of Reclamation, the river downstream flows through a National Recreation Area that is managed by the National Park Service as a National Water Trail (designated in 2014). The Black Canyon Wilderenss area extends from the shoreline on river right but river left includes equally impressive backcountry terrain. The Black Canyon is not a true whitewater run but it does have sections of strong current, eddies, and boils. The highlights of this run are the abundance of hot springs and some great slot canyon hikes, that provide a few days worth of opportunities for exploration and adventure.
Accessing the River
The road leading to the base of Hoover Dam is in a security zone and access is limited to Bureau of Reclamation employees and their contractors. Therefore, if you have personal paddle craft that you want to take down the river, you must make arrangements and reservations with one of the authorized livery services to transport your craft to the launch site (check the Bureau of Reclamation website for authorized outfitters). Most outfitters can also provide rental craft and shuttle your vehicle down to the take-out. All participants, including kids, will need to show proof of identification to enter the security zone at the base of the dam.
Paddlers need to be efficient at the dam as groups are required to quickly launch and not linger in the restricted area at the base of the Hoover Dam. Built in the early 1930's this 726.4 foot high monolith to the audacity and determination of politicians and engineers who sought to hold back the water of the Colorado River, is an impressive sight. Daily water levels typically fluctuate by a few feet in response to the power dema
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The area at the base of Hoover Dam is restricted so boaters have to use a livery service to gain access to the launch.
An area of swift current recognized as the last rapid on the Colorado River.
Located on river left (Arizona side) 14 miles south of Hoover Dam off U.S. 93. Willow Beach is a full service marina with boat rentals, campground and RV park, and a store. Local livery services that provide you with access to the base of the dam can shuttle your car to this take-out.
Nov 8, 2013
Veterans Day weekend is a wonderful time to be in the desert on the Nevada–Arizona border, and our group had an unforgettable three days exploring the deep walls, hot springs, and quiet corners of Black Canyon. With young kids and family along, we appreciated how simple the logistics were. We flew into Las Vegas, rented a van, stocked up at Trader Joe’s, and spent the night at the Hacienda Hotel and Casino in Boulder City. We had arranged for rental boats, and our driver arrived with our canoes the next morning. We loaded gear onto his trailer in the hotel parking lot, and he provided the mandatory shuttle that carries boaters to the base of Hoover Dam. Our rental van was shuttled to Willow Beach, 12 miles downstream, to await our downstream take-out.
We reached the launch at 9:30 a.m. and slid onto the river within the required fifteen-minute window at 9:45. Our group consisted of four canoes carrying seven adults and three kids. With warm sun on the water and no need to hurry, we made only modest downstream progress on our first day—about three and a half miles—and spent most of our time exploring the side canyons. Sauna Cave offered a surreal walk through mist and warm air in a dark chamber, and both Goldstrike Canyon and Boy Scout Canyon held beautiful soaking pools tucked between narrow walls and polished rock, with plenty of fun slot-canyon climbing for the kids.
That evening we made camp on the broad alluvial fan at the mouth of White Rock Canyon, adjacent to Ringbolt Rapids. A few other groups were camped in the general area of White Rock and in Arizona Canyon just downstream, but the space is generous and everyone was able to settle into their own corner of the canyon. At dusk the river fell quiet and the desert cooled. After dark, the stillness was broken by the unmistakable scream of a mountain lion somewhere up the canyon—a sound that stayed with us as we remembered the desert bighorn sheep we had been spotting throughout the trip.
Our second day was a layover day, set aside for exploring on foot. From camp we hiked up White Rock Canyon and followed the old jeep track across the desert toward Arizona Canyon, which drops steeply back toward the river. The descent required a bit of agility, with a few short downclimbs into the drainage. Midway down we reached Petroglyph Wash, where large boulders are covered in intricate designs chipped into the desert varnish. The climax of the loop, however, was the hot spring hidden within the narrow walls of Arizona Canyon. We soaked in the warm pools while watching a tarantula move along the canyon wall—a quiet, mesmerizing moment in a place that already feels far removed from the modern world and the lights of Las Vegas.
The loop from White Rock Canyon up to the desert bench and down Arizona Canyon took us about six hours at a relaxed pace, leaving plenty of time in the afternoon to enjoy camp and the river.
Our final day was our longest on the water. We packed up slowly and pushed off around 9:30 a.m. for the downstream paddle to Willow Beach. The miles went by easily, and by 1:30 p.m. we were gliding into the marina where our van was waiting. We left the canoes for the outfitter to retrieve and were soon driving back toward Las Vegas in the mid-afternoon, relaxed and grateful for three days in a canyon that rewards unhurried travel.
