Hoover Dam kayak tour

Hoover Dam kayak tour: the whole Black Canyon in one day

A Hoover Dam kayak tour puts you on the Colorado River right at the base of the dam and lets the river carry you about 12 miles down Black Canyon to Willow Beach, with Emerald Cave near the end of the day. It is the full-length version of the trip most people know as a half-day paddle from Willow Beach: more canyon, hot springs side canyons on some listings, and a day that runs 7 to 8 hours.

We compare four full-day listings on GetYourGuide, from about $199 to $254 per person. Three meet you at Hoover Dam and one picks you up on the Las Vegas Strip and includes lunch. Below: why you need an outfitter, what you pass on the way down, the hot springs and their summer closure, and who is better off on a shorter tour.

Why you cannot launch at Hoover Dam on your own

The put-in below Hoover Dam sits inside a federal security zone. Private vehicles cannot drive down to the water, and you cannot carry your own kayak there or rent one and set off. Only outfitters authorized by the National Park Service may take paddlers and their gear down the access road to the launch, and each paddler needs a river permit, which the outfitter arranges as part of the trip.

That is the real difference from Willow Beach. At Willow Beach anyone can launch from the open ramp, which is why self-guided rentals exist there and not here. Launch spots are limited, too: one authorized outfitter says the river permit costs about $32 per person and that only around 30 boats a day may launch. We could not confirm those two numbers on a National Park Service page, so treat them as indicative, but they explain why full-day dates can fill early.

Which Hoover Dam kayak tour fits you

The four listings differ in where the day starts, what is included and how much hiking comes with the paddle. From lowest to highest price, as a snapshot:

Hoover Dam Kayak Tour & Hike (LV Canoe Kayak Club)

About $199 per person, 7 hours, rated 4.9 from 12 reviews, with groups of up to 10. It is the cheapest and the best-reviewed of the four, and it adds a hike to the paddle. The listing says it is not suitable for people with heart or back problems, people over 70, or anyone without kayaking experience, so it is aimed at paddlers who have done this before. The title mentions a shuttle from Las Vegas, but the listing data places the start at Hoover Dam, so check the meeting point before you plan your morning.

Hoover Dam and Colorado River Full-Day Kayak Tour (River Dogz)

About $239 per person, 8 hours, rated 4.3 from 3 reviews, with groups of up to 12. This is the listing with the clearest inclusions: guide, transportation, the permit and park service fee, lunch, snacks and water, kayaking equipment with life jackets, and tips. You meet at the Hoover Dam west side entrance near Dotty's, in the outer parking lot area.

Hoover Dam & Emerald Cave DELUXE Combo with Lunch (Evolution Expeditions)

About $244 per person, 7 hours, rated 4.7 from 4 reviews. It is the only one of the four with Strip pickup, so it suits visitors without a car who still want the full canyon, and lunch is part of the day. The listing mentions a bridge walk and asks that participants be comfortable with heights, and it recommends basic swimming skills.

Hoover Dam Kayak Trip with 6 Hot Springs

About $254 per person, 8 hours, rated 5.0 from 10 reviews. It is built around the hot springs in the side canyons below the dam, so expect more stops on land than on the other trips. The title says "From Las Vegas", but the listing data places the start at Hoover Dam; confirm whether a ride from the city is part of the price.

In short: no car, take the Evolution Expeditions combo. Want every cost settled up front, including tips, look at River Dogz. Experienced paddler on a budget, the LV Canoe Kayak Club trip. Mainly here for the hot springs, the 6 Hot Springs trip, outside the summer closure described below.

The route: from the dam to Willow Beach

The stretch from Hoover Dam to Willow Beach is about 12 miles of flat water and the most popular section of the Black Canyon National Water Trail. The whole trail runs about 30 miles, and in 2014 the Secretary of the Interior named it a National Water Trail, the first in the Southwest and the first through a desert.

• The launch. You start at the base of Hoover Dam, below the wall that holds back Lake Mead. A Willow Beach tour never shows you the dam from the water.
• The upper canyon. The first miles run between high canyon walls. Because the water is released from deep in Lake Mead, it stays cold all year, in the mid-50s F, and you feel the chill coming off it even on hot days.
• The hot springs side canyons. Outfitters put Arizona Hot Springs about 4 miles below the Hoover Dam put-in. Tours that include the springs stop here and leave the river on foot.
• Emerald Cave. After about 10 miles on the water, you reach Emerald Cave on the Arizona side, a small volcanic alcove roughly 2 miles before the take-out. On a half-day tour this is the whole goal; here it is the last big stop.
• Willow Beach. The take-out is the same ramp the half-day tours use. Next door is the Willow Beach National Fish Hatchery, completed in 1962 to raise rainbow trout in the cold water from the dam, and since 1995 also a breeding site for the endangered razorback sucker and bonytail chub.

The river does part of the work, since you travel downstream all day. The outfitter then handles the return: by road, Willow Beach is about 23 miles and about 45 minutes from Hoover Dam via US-93, which is why the shuttle at the end of the day matters as much as the one at the start.

Boat traffic is lighter than you might expect. According to the National Park Service, Black Canyon is closed to motorized boats every Sunday and Monday all year, and from September through May engines on the other days are capped at 65 horsepower. A Sunday or Monday date gives you the quietest water for the whole 12 miles.

Arizona Hot Springs and the summer trail closure

For many people the hot springs are the reason to pick the full day over the half day. The kayaks stop at the side canyons below the dam, and you leave the river on foot to reach the springs before paddling on. Two of the four listings build this in: the 6 Hot Springs trip by name, and the LV Canoe Kayak Club Kayak Tour & Hike, which we group with the hot springs trips.

The catch is the calendar. Every year from May 15 to September 30, the National Park Service closes the Arizona Hot Springs trail for extreme heat, along with Goldstrike Canyon, Liberty Bell Arch, White Rock Canyon and Lone Palm. Reopening depends on the forecast, not only the date: the trails reopen once forecast highs for Willow Beach drop below 93 F, which in past years has meant late September or early October.

The closure covers the hiking trails, not the river. Kayaking from the dam and the Willow Beach launch stay open all year. If you book a hot springs trip between mid-May and the end of September, ask the operator what the day looks like without the springs, and whether it is worth waiting for October.

Full day from the dam or half day from Willow Beach

Most visitors are better served by a half-day tour. A guided Willow Beach tour covers about 2 miles each way, is listed at 3 to 4 hours on most listings, and starts from about $100 per person, or about $107 with Strip pickup. The full day triples the distance and costs about one and a half to two times as much. Our Emerald Cave kayak tour comparison covers the half-day options.

The full day from Hoover Dam makes sense if:

• You have paddled before and want a real day on the river, not a quick out-and-back.
• Seeing Hoover Dam from the water, the hot springs or the full length of the canyon matters more to you than the glow alone.
• You have a whole free day in Las Vegas and a group that is fit and comfortable in the heat or the cold, depending on the season.

Pick the half day instead if:

• You have never been in a kayak, or someone in the group has heart or back problems. The LV Canoe Kayak Club listing rules both out, and River Dogz rules out people with a low level of fitness.
• You are traveling with younger children. None of the four listings state a minimum age, which on a 7 to 8 hour day means you should ask before booking.
• The glow is the main point. A half-day tour can time its arrival at the cave; a full day reaches it when the day's schedule allows.
• You want to go without a guide. That is only possible from Willow Beach, and our Emerald Cave kayak rental page compares the options.

What is included on each tour

Every listing covers a guide, a kayak, a paddle and a life jacket, and the outfitter's access to the launch. Past that, only one listing publishes a full inclusions list.

• River Dogz: guide, transportation, permit and park service fee, lunch, snacks and water, kayaking equipment with life jackets, and tips. The most complete list of the four.
• Evolution Expeditions: Strip pickup and lunch are in the title. Ask whether the permit, park entry and tips are covered.
• LV Canoe Kayak Club and the 6 Hot Springs trip: no inclusions list on the listing. Ask about transport, the permit, food and water before you book.

Hoover Dam kayak tour prices

Snapshot prices, checked on the date shown at the top of this page, run from about $199 to $254 per person. The LV Canoe Kayak Club trip is about $199, River Dogz about $239, the Evolution Expeditions combo with lunch and Strip pickup about $244, and the 6 Hot Springs trip about $254.

Compare what is in the price rather than the headline number. River Dogz at about $239 already includes lunch, the permit and park service fee, and tips. A cheaper listing that leaves out lunch and the gratuity can end up close to it once you add them. The Evolution Expeditions combo costs a little more but saves you the drive to the dam, which matters if you would rent a car for this day only.

How hard is it: heat, wind and a long day

The water is flat and you travel downstream, so this is not whitewater. What makes it demanding is the length of the day.

• Distance. About 12 miles on the water, plus any hiking on the hot springs trips.
• Heat. Summer highs at Lake Mead typically reach 89 to 103 F, and the National Park Service calls it a dangerous heat period. Our planner model (ERA5 hourly data for Willow Beach, which smooths out canyon gusts) shows about 100 F by 10 AM in July and about 107 F by 2 PM. A full-day tour keeps you out through the hottest hours, with little shade on the river. From June to August, think carefully before booking.
• Wind. Afternoon headwinds of 15 to 25 mph are common in the canyon, especially from March to May, with gusts reported up to 40 mph. The last miles to Willow Beach come in the afternoon, when the wind is most likely. In April and June about one afternoon hour in ten reaches 15 mph or more at Willow Beach.
• Cold water. The river stays in the mid-50s F all year. A capsize on a hot day is still a cold shock, which is why the life jacket stays on.

Best season and the glow from upstream

For a full day, spring and fall are the comfortable months. At Willow Beach the average afternoon sits around 73 F in March, 82 F in April, 84 F in October and 71 F in November, against over 100 F from June to August. Winter highs at Lake Mead typically run 57 to 69 F, cool for 7 to 8 hours on cold water, so bring layers. With the trail closure lifting around October, fall is also the best time for the hot springs trips. The month-by-month detail is on our best time to visit Emerald Cave page.

The glow works differently on this trip. The green light in Emerald Cave is usually strongest on clear days when the sun is high, roughly late morning through early afternoon, and it is never certain. On a half-day tour the start time is chosen to hit that window. Coming from the dam, you reach the cave after about 10 miles, so when you arrive depends on the launch time, the stops and your group's pace. None of the four listings publish a start time, so ask the operator roughly when the group usually reaches the cave.

What to bring for a full day on the river

• More water than on a half-day trip, even if the tour provides some, plus lunch and snacks if the listing does not include them.
• Sunscreen, a hat with a strap, sunglasses with a strap and a long-sleeve sun shirt for hours without shade.
• Quick-dry clothes, a swimsuit underneath for the hot springs, and water shoes or sandals with a heel strap that you can also walk in.
• A dry bag, a waterproof phone case (there is no reliable cell service in the canyon) and a warm layer in winter.
• A dry change of clothes for the ride back, and money for tips if your listing does not include them.

How to book a Hoover Dam kayak tour

1. Check that the full day is right for you. Paddling experience, a free day and a group that handles heat or cold: book the full day. Otherwise compare the half-day tours from Willow Beach first.
2. Choose by starting point. No car: the Evolution Expeditions combo with Strip pickup. With a car: the three listings that meet at Hoover Dam, and check each meeting point on the listing.
3. Decide on the hot springs. Want to soak: the 6 Hot Springs trip or the LV Canoe Kayak Club Tour & Hike. Between May 15 and September 30, ask what replaces the springs while the trail is closed.
4. Read what is included. Look for lunch, the permit, park entry and tips. Where the listing is silent, ask the operator through GetYourGuide before your trip.
5. Book early with free cancellation. Full-day dates often fill early, and all four listings offer free cancellation on GetYourGuide, so you can book ahead and still cancel if the forecast turns hot or windy.

Nearby and related

If a full day is too much, the half-day tours and self-guided rentals from Willow Beach reach the same cave in a few hours. For the drive to Willow Beach, the fee station and where the cave sits on the river, see where Emerald Cave is and how to get there.