A Natural hot spring and waterfall along the river of the Gold Spring Canyon Hot Springs Hike.
Goldstrike Canyon Hot Springs Hike Guide

Goldstrike Canyon Hot Springs Hike Guide

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Goldstrike Canyon Hot Springs is an out and back hike located near the Hoover Dam just outside of Las Vegas. The trail takes hikers down to the Colorado River through a series of scrambles and fixed ropes. Once at the river itself, hikers can relax in a handful of different hot springs and geothermal features. The hike through the canyon starts mellow but eventually works through a series of 8-10 fixed ropes in order to ascend and descend these difficult sections. Due to this, this hike is only recommended for experienced hikers, children or pets. This hike is best during the Winter and Springs months to avoid extremely hot temperatures.

Narrow desert canyon corridor along the Gold Springs Canyon Hot Springs Hike with tall rock walls and sandy trail

Goldstrike Canyon Hot Springs Quick Facts

Goldstrike Canyon Hot Springs Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)

Distance: 5.5 Miles RT

Elevation Start: 1,705ft

Low Point: 650ft

Total Elevation Gain: 1,050ft

Estimated Time to Complete: 2-4 Hours Total (Plus Hot Springs Time)

Difficulty: Moderate What does this mean?

Class: Class 3* There are ropes in all of the Class 3 sections. However, ropes are not to be fully trusted with all body weight. – What does this mean?

Season: Year Round – Most popular times to visit are during the Winter and Spring months when temperatures are cooler. 

Check the Weather Forecast

Crowds: Moderate

Rope-assisted scramble through a narrow rock chute on the Gold Springs Canyon Hot Springs Hike
One of the many rope sections

Directions to Goldstrike Canyon Hot Springs

Trailhead: Goldstrike Canyon

Getting Here: From Las Vegas, take I-11 for about 30 minutes towards the Arizona border and the Hoover Dam. Right before the dam, take exit 2 and you will likely see the small parking lot for Goldstrike Canyon Hot Springs on your right. 

Parking: There is a small parking lot that can fit 20-25 cars and has a non-plumbing bathroom. I can’t speak to how quickly this lot will fill up on busy days but can say there are not additional areas to park once the lot is full. 

Permits/Fee: $0 and no permit as of 2026

Small natural hot spring pool surrounded by desert rock formations on the Gold Springs Canyon Hot Springs Hike

Summary

Dogs: I would strongly advise against bringing a dog on the Goldstrike Canyon hike. 

Camping: Camping is not allowed in the area and even if it were, camping options on this hike are essentially non-existent. Seek alternative lodging. 

Make it a Loop: The Goldstrike Canyon trail is an out and back hike. However, allow for plenty of time to explore near the river as there are plenty of, steamy, hidden secrets…

Trail X Factors: Fixed Ropes & Bacteria in Water

During the trek down to Colorado River, the Goldstrike Canyon hike will have 7-10 areas where a fixed rope has been put in place by other hikers. Although these ropes are necessary for almost every hiker to descend and ascend the section, I would not fully trust them. When using these ropes, I would HIGHLY recommend testing them prior to using and when using, not putting all of your body weight into them in case they do fail.

Once at the Hot Springs and with the water in general, it is NOT recommended to let the water into your eyes or mouth, including filtered drinking. Past tests have shown high amounts of fecal coliform, E. coli, and enterococci.

Hike Tip(s): The best tip(s) for Goldstrike Canyon Hot Springs hike would be to hike down the river and explore a lot. There are several areas of Hot Springs and a Steam Cave that can be accessed at the end of the hike. I will not get into details on this blog to keep some things hidden and require a bit of exploration. 

Best Views: In my opinion, the views on Goldstrike Canyon Hot Springs get better the closer you get to the river. Once you leave the loud sounds of the interstate behind, the seclusion into nature is pretty great.

The Colorado River at the end of the Gold Springs Canyon.
Explore around this area, there are many hidden gems.

Gear Needed

Goldstrike Canyon Hot Springs Hike Route

*As with most canyons, the GPS pinged off the wall quite a bit on my tracker. 

Download GPX