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Canoe Black Canyon on the Colorado River

Willow Beach, Arizona

5.0/5
based on 2 reviews

Details

Distance

20 miles

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Ciara Foley

This amazing canoe trip features incredible canyon walls, hot springs, waterfalls, (sauna) caves, hiking trails, and much more.

This 10-mile canoe trip starts at Willow Beach and reaches all the way to the Hoover Dam, giving you front row seats to beautiful canyon walls, waterfalls, hot springs, (sauna) caves, hiking trails, and much more. 

There are multiple campsites along the river but not all have pit toilets so bring your own TP and prepare to wag-bag it. 

There is lots of opportunity for cliff jumping, however, the canyon walls consist of sandstone which tend to be very crumbly. Also, the water level changes frequently so don't assume your canoes are safe! The scenery is unbelievable and in my experience, not packed with people. I did this trip with an outdoor club at my school so the canoes were provided. You can kayak up the river if you do not have access to canoes. The campsite in the photo is called Arizona Hot Springs and there are hot springs right behind the camp! You do not need a permit to use the river. There are maps available to you at the Willow Beach Convenience Store. The campsite is very family/dog friendly! 

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Features

Canoeing
Camping
Photography
Beach
Family Friendly
Hot Springs
River
Romantic
Scenic
Cliff Jumping

Reviews

You can also start this trip by Getting a permit and dropping in at Hoover Dam. There are a lot of hot springs in the area so it's fun to camp along the river and explore them all. Also, the water in the River is extremely cold, even in the hottest months of the year.

Love this trip do it every year in October with my wife and kids 3 days on the river, we use desert adventures and they are excellent.

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Canoe Camp from Willow Beach to Hoover Dam on the Colorado River

Hike to the Arizona Hot Springs

Spooky Slot Canyon

Hike the Boy Scout Hot Spring Trail

Goldstrike Hot Springs

Hike the Railroad Tunnel Trail