Lake Mead NRA – Hoover Dam South Viewpoint, Off Trail Hike

on January 15, 2025

Introduction:

What? :

This challenging off-trail 3.9-mile hike with 1,900 ft of elevation gain is involved with some path finding, rock scrambling and climbing mountain top but it will reword you with unique amazing view of the Hoover Dam and the impressive engineering work of Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.

This hike is not for everyone, but I do not think it is over challenging for experience hiker or dangerous so much, take it slow and you can reach the top.

The trail is located near Boulder City, Nevada and the Hoover Dam, area that is inside Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

This hike will take you around 3 hours.

You can do this hike as out and back or you can combine it with Goldstrike Hot Springs hike and create a much longer hike, overall, 8.2-miles-long with total of 2,650 ft of elevation gain.

Where? :

The trailhead is located near Boulder City, Nevada and the Hoover Dam, area that is inside Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

From Las Vegas valley head southeast on I-11 (highway 95) the highway changed into 93 in the direction of Hover Dam and Arizona. Take exit 2 for US-93 toward Boulder city/Hoover Dam.

At the traffic circle, take the 1st exit to the right onto Goldstrike Canyon Rd. you will see the parking lot will be on your right.

If the parking lot is full you need to find additional parking spots up the dirt road.

Google Map Link

When? :

The best times to visit this trail are October through April.

For the hot summer months that has extreme high temperatures the trailhead for Gold Strike Canyon is closes from May 15 to September 30.

Please respect this limitation, this is for your one safe and the safety of people hiking with you. Hot temperatures kill!

The temperatures during the long summer months are extremely hot, easily reaching over 115f and even early morning temperatures are above 80f.

Due note 1:

This is off-trail hike and for most of the hike section you will need to find the right path.

You need to know some basic navigation skills.

I tried to provide as clear and accurate description of the hike so you will find it easy to be on the right trail.

Due note 2:

Officially, Goldstrike Canyon Trailhead is in a fee area, like the rest of Lake Mead NRA. Keep your park pass or proof of admission with your vehicle for rangers to inspect.

I do not think they are doing active check here at the parking lot.

There are portable restrooms at the parking lot.

No water filling.

Due note 3:

The hikes should be completed during daylight hours.

Overnight camping is not permitted.

Due note 4:

Bring enough water with you for a full hiking day.

The trail is exposed to the sun and do not have any shad.

Due note 5:

The trailhead is a popular area for hiking, but this specific off-trail is not visited, you probably will not encounter any other hiker while exploring this area, even during weekends.

Due note 6:

Dogs are welcome in Lake Mead NRA (they must be on a leash).

Due note 7:

I highly recommend having good hiking shoes with grip traction for this hike.

As always in the desert I recommend long sleeves shirt, heat, sunblock, and sunglasses.

Due note 8:

If you will hike into Goldstrike Canyon; Check the weather before heading out and be aware of the danger of flash floods, especially during summer monsoon.

Due note 9:

Because you are near Arizona the time zone may change in your phone, be aware of that when you are hiking, make sure you have enough sunlight for the long hike back out to your car.

My thoughts:

This off trail hike is challenging and involved with some path finding, rock scrambling climbing but it will reword you with unique amazing view of the Hoover Dam and the impressive engineering work of Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.

This hike is not for everyone, but I do not think it is challenging or dangerous so much, take it slow and you can reach the top.

I assure you that you will be the only one here, things that add to the adventure and solitude feeling.

Seating at the top of the cliff after challenging hike above the Colorado Black Canyon, viewing the bridge and dam, enjoying the 360-degree panoramic view of the vast desert on the Nevada and Arizona is amazing experience.

Nearby Related Blogs:

The Hike:

From the parking lot walk and pass the locked gate, this will be the start of the hike heading down.

The dirt road begins the hike when you enter the wash.

After a short hike where the highway is above you on the left you will pass under a highway bridge and from here the canyon turn right, away from the highway.

Here just after passing under the highway bridge, will be the spot where we fork out of the creek and start climbing to the left.

Start to climb soon after the bridge and find you way to the left side, this will be about 0.6 mile from your hike starting point. There is no trail so you should find the easy path to climb up.

A good indication that you are on the right direction is if you will pass a car rack on your way up.

Keep heading to the left and stay away from the loss rocks section on the right. Aime your direction to the large high-voltage electric line towers above you.

There is no clear mark trail, and you need to do here some boulder climbing, after this steep climb you will reach the ridgeline, cross it and reach the old dirt road.

This will be about 0.8 mile from the starting point.

From here look ahead, down to the flat valley below and to the towering mountain on the other side to the right, this is your destination.

From this far viewing point it is not clear so much how you can climb the mountain but there is a way that does not involved with rock climbing or over expose cliffs.

You can see a trail crossing the valley on it right side leading to the direction of your destination, but I did not manage to find a clear way down.

On the far side of the valley there is a private road used by Hover Dam maintenance.

I walked on the dirt-road to the right and near the last electric line tower I used the creek on my left to go down.

At the bottom of the descent, I reach the trail that cross the flat area, and I turned right and start following it, this will be the only section in this hike there is a clear trail.

After short walk following the trail in the flat area, I reach the point that I need to start heading left and climb the small hump, this hump leading to the direction of the tall mountain.

In this point the trail here is heading to the right into the direction of canyon but we need to turn left. You can see here an old remains and leftover of some structure.

Climb to the hump ridgeline, not so much challenging and head right in the direction of the mountain.

The hump ridgeline get narrow at the top, but you can find a way on the left side, go down and up and head to the red rock boulder at the base of the mountain.

This point at the base of the cliff climbing will be 1.7 miles from the hike start.

From here you start the somehow challenging trail finding section of the hike.

Do not take the left side of the mountain ridge but rather direct your climb on the right side of the ridgeline, do not head to right and stay always up.

You will need to find your way up the steep rocky section, walking in zigzag up the boulders. In some sections there is loss rocks in other it is more rock scrolling.

Follow the slope up and steek to the left, getting more elevation.

At the end of this climb section, you will reach the top of this high hump and to the base of the last climb. From here you can start to have a good view of the bridge and of the service road, way down below you.

Look ahead and you can see a huge rock at the center of the ridge, as you get closer you will see there is a trail marks leading up on it left side.

A short but very steep climb over rocky steps and small zigzag path finding and you will find yourself at the mountain top.

This mountain top is 1.9 miles from your starting point and with overall 1,900 ft elevation gain.

A challenging climb for relatively short distance.

Although steep and look at first intimidating climb, overall, it was not dangerous or unsafe or with over exposed section.

Walk carefully and find you way up the rocks.

From the top of the mountain the view open-up to a 360-degree panorama.

This is probably the most impressive view from this direction of the highway concrete arch bridge crossing the canyon and the Hoover Dam blocking it, what a view!

Down, right below you can see a short section of the Colorado river below the dam, heading south.

If you look over the edge of the cliff you can see service facility of the dam, when I was here you were practicing gun range over there.

If you look to the other side of the Colorado, this is Arizona, you might find and see Liberty Bell Arch from far away.

On Nevada side you can see the direction of Goldstrike Hot Springs Canyon and above it Goldstrike mountain and the vast wilderness area.

Although the first mountain top is the highest point of the ridgeline you can keep walking the ridgeline to another lower hump that provide slightly “better” view to the bridge.

To get there you will need first to climb down and then climb to the next hike point.

From this point you can see another small edge-top in front of you with an impressive pile of rocks structure.

I tried to reach this point; I start to look for a way down climbing the cliff edge. The cliff leading down was too steep for me to risk it, so I climb up.

After taking many pictures, resting, eating, drinking and enjoying the solitude I start heading back down.

Unfortunately for me, mid-way down I “discovered” that I left my sunglasses at the top of the mountain, so I head to walk back up to take them.

Halfway down the mountain you need to decide how to continue with your hike.

The simple option is to hike back the same way you came here. Walk down and over the long lower hump, cross the lower flat area. Follow the trail back to the electric line towers and down back to of Goldstrike Hot Springs Canyon, turn right and up to the parking lot.

If you will walk back than overall this hike will be 3.9-mile hike with 1,900 ft of elevation gain.

The option I chose to take was to reconnect my hike down to Goldstrike Hot Springs Canyon and visit the hot springs and the Colorado River.

If you want to keep with this option when you are carefully walking down the mountain look to the direction of the creek leading to the left (south) and you can see there is a clear trail leading down, you just need to find how to get to it.

This trail is the continuation of the trail you walk on when crossing the valley.

At the base of the mountain, I took the creek leading to the left, there is no trail here, simply hike down and find your way over the rocks and ledges in the direction of the trail.

Once you are on the trail it is clear, but it is not so much maintained.

The trail will lead you deep into the canyon, you will lose a lot of elevation in short distance. Find the trail switchback, there are easier to walk in the loss gravel sections compared to cutting it directly.

After a short steep descend you will see the power line crossing Goldstrike Hot Springs Canyon in front of you, you will get into the creek and soon you will reach the main Goldstrike Hot Springs canyon.

At this point you can turn right and climb up the canyon back to the parking lot (this will be 2 miles) or you can extend you hike and visit the amazing hot springs and the Colorado river.

For a lot more information on the hike down the canyon see my blog:

Lake Mead NRA – Goldstrike Hot Springs

It was still early, and I had enough daylight, so I decided to hike down the canyon, climb the dry waterfalls ropes section and hike all the way to the Colorado river.

It was relatively late in the afternoon when I reach the Colorado River. I explore the Colorado River hot springs, went and take a good hot water soaking in the large pool area.

The group of people that was there just left and I had the pools all to myself.

It was starting to get late and dark in the canyon, so this was my queue to start heading up the canyon and back to my hike starting point.

Climbing up the ropes was much faster than my way down and when I cleared the last rope it become darker.

I walk fast up the canyon, there are no more waterfalls and after about 30 minutes from the hot springs I reach the point where earlier today I forked-out to do my off-trail fun.

I kept hiking up the main canyon, clear the last rope waterfall and head to the narrow canyon section of the hike.

From there it is the last stretch of the hike in the canyon all the way up to the parking lot.

When I reach the parking lot it was completely dark.

Overall, the full long loop was 8.2 mile long with 2,600 ft of elevation gain. Im in good hiking shape and it took me 6 hours to clear this hike, from the climb to the mountain top, down to the canyon and down to the Colorado river and the hot springs.

What a fun rewording hike !

One of the most amazing and rewording hikes I did in long time.

Additional Pictures:

Comments