Boy Scout Hot Springs

What to expect

Boy Scout Hot Springs is in Boy Scout Canyon, a narrow side canyon that drains into the Colorado River from the west in Black Canyon, a few miles below Hoover Dam. This slug files it under Arizona, but the canyon and the springs are on the Nevada bank, in Clark County, inside Lake Mead National Recreation Area. The river is the state line, and the better-known Arizona Hot Springs are on the opposite shore, a couple of river miles downstream.

The USGS places named hot springs along the lower part of Boy Scout Canyon, about a quarter mile west of where the canyon meets the river. That matches paddling guides, which say the first warm pools are about a quarter mile walk up from the beach. Above them the canyon steps up over small waterfalls. People have fixed ropes at some of these, and going higher means scrambling and hauling yourself up wet rock.

The pools are small, shallow and natural, set in volcanic rock. We could not find a published temperature for Boy Scout Canyon, so test the water yourself before getting in. Nearby Black Canyon springs run well over 100°F38°C at the source.

This is the least developed of the major Black Canyon soaks. There are no toilets, no signs to speak of and no trail from the road. Because almost everyone arrives by boat, it also tends to be quieter than Arizona Hot Springs or Gold Strike.

Getting there

Boy Scout Hot Springs is a water-access spring. There is no maintained hiking route into the canyon from the highway side, so plan on a kayak, canoe or motorboat.

From Hoover Dam (downstream, the usual way): The Black Canyon Water Trail starts at the base of Hoover Dam at river mile 64. The NPS says launching there requires a permit and is offered only through a limited number of authorized vendors, who drive you and your boat by bus into the Hoover Dam security zone. Book early; launch spots are limited and sell out on popular weekends. One paddling guide notes you get only about 15 minutes at the launch to rig and get on the water. The NPS publishes the list of approved companies on its CUA directory page.

From the dam, the canyon mouth is at about river mile 61.75, on river right (the Nevada side) as you head downstream. Paddling guides put the Sauna Cave at about mile 63 and the mouth of Goldstrike Canyon at about mile 62.5, so Boy Scout comes shortly after both. Land on the beach at the canyon mouth and walk up the canyon floor.

From Willow Beach (upstream): Willow Beach, at river mile 52.5 on the Arizona shore, is 14 miles south of Hoover Dam off US 93. It has a launch ramp and a marina that rents kayaks and canoes. No dam permit is needed here, but you paddle roughly 9 miles upstream to Boy Scout Canyon, and the current depends on how much water the dam is releasing.

Motorboats: between Hoover Dam and Willow Beach the NPS manages Sundays and Mondays as a primitive zone with no motorized vessels or personal watercraft. Houseboats, water-skiing and wakeboarding are banned on this stretch all year, and from Labor Day to the Friday of Memorial Day weekend boats are limited to 65 horsepower or less.

When to go

October to April is the comfortable season on the river. Paddling in Black Canyon in summer is possible and popular, since you are on cold water, but the air in the side canyons gets brutally hot. The park closes its Black Canyon hiking trails from May 15 to September 30 because of heat rescues, and Boy Scout Canyon is just as hot even if no gate stops you.

Weekends in spring and fall bring the most boats. Midweek trips are quieter, and the Sunday and Monday ban on motorized boats makes those days calmer on the water.

Rules and etiquette

• Entrance pass: Lake Mead NRA charges an entrance fee. Standard passes run $15-25, the Lake Mead annual pass is $45, and America the Beautiful passes are accepted. The park is cashless.
• Dam launch permit: required for any launch at Hoover Dam, arranged through an authorized outfitter.
• Leave the springs as they are: at Arizona Hot Springs the park bans damming the flow with sandbags or other materials, because it alters the spring system and creates health risks. Treat Boy Scout Canyon the same way and do not stack rocks to deepen pools.
• Pack it out: there are no toilets in Boy Scout Canyon. Carry out all trash and human waste. The nearest pit toilets are at Arizona Hot Springs across the river.
• No collecting: plants, rocks, wildlife and artifacts are protected.
• Clothing: the park publishes no clothing-optional allowance. Bring a swimsuit, since boats pull in at the beach all day.

Where to stay nearby

• Willow Beach has a campground and RV park, plus a store and restaurant, and is the usual take-out for a dam-to-Willow-Beach trip of about 12 miles.
• Beach camping: paddling guides describe camping on open beaches along the water trail as a normal part of overnight trips. Check current rules and any closures with Lake Mead NRA at 702-293-8990.
• Boulder City, Nevada is the closest town, with motels, outfitters and restaurants. Las Vegas is a short drive beyond it.

Safety notes

• Heat: carry far more water than you think you need, and plenty of shade and electrolytes. Summer air temperatures in the park can reach 120°F49°C.
• Hot water: test pools by hand first. Keep your head above water in warm natural springs.
• Scrambling: the rock in the canyon is polished and often wet. The fixed ropes are put up by visitors and are not inspected. Turn back at the first pools if you are unsure.
• River conditions: the water is cold and the current and wind can change with dam releases and weather. Wear a life jacket, and secure your boat well above the waterline at the beach.
• Flash floods: stay out of side canyons if storms are possible.
• No signal: there is usually no cell service in Black Canyon. Leave your plan with someone.

Nearby stops worth adding

On a downstream day from the dam, most paddlers stop at the Sauna Cave and at Gold Strike Hot Springs in Goldstrike Canyon before Boy Scout, then cross to Arizona Hot Springs at about mile 59.75, where the pit toilets are. Emerald Cave, 2 miles upriver from Willow Beach, is a popular last stop before the take-out.