Las Vegas Emerald Cave Kayak Tour

• Distance: 4 miles round trip
• Difficulty: beginner friendly, flat water
• Meets at: Kayak Beach, a short walk from Willow Beach Marina
• Included: kayak, paddle, life vest, snacks and a certified kayak tour guide
• Ages: at least 5 years old or 50 lbs
• Best for: first-time paddlers and a half-day trip from Las Vegas

Children under 8 should ride in the front seat of a tandem kayak with an adult. The weight limit depends on your height; check yours with the weight limit tool.

After you book, you'll get reminders by email and SMS.

The Private Emerald Cave Kayak Tour is the same guided paddle to the Emerald Cave, with only your group and your own guide. The per-person price drops as your group grows.

• Group: your group only, up to 10 guests per guide
• Pace: up to 4 hours, and you can end sooner if you like
• Everything else: same launch, gear, snacks and age limit as the regular tour

The Emerald Cave sits about 2 miles upriver from Kayak Beach on the Arizona side of the Colorado River in Black Canyon. Its green color comes from sunlight reflecting off algae-covered rocks below the surface.

Step-by-Step Itinerary

1. Check-in and safety briefing (15 minutes before launch): meet your guide at Kayak Beach, receive a life vest, and get a short safety and paddling talk. Your guide helps you choose in to your single or tandem kayak if you need help and adjusts the footrests so you're comfortable for the full paddle.
2. Paddle upriver: head about 2 miles up the calm Colorado River through Black Canyon. Along the way you may see desert bighorn sheep, waterfowl or bald eagles.
3. Enter the Emerald Cave: your guide helps you back your kayak into the cave for photos and talks about the area's history and geology.
4. Stop at River Gauger's Beach (Bob's Beach): on the return paddle, get out to stretch, swim and eat the snacks provided, with a short optional hike to a scenic overlook at the historic River Gauger's site.
5. Paddle back to Kayak Beach: finish the trip where you started.

Swimming inside the cave is possible but discouraged, because it's small and often crowded with kayaks and canoes. The light in the cave changes with the time of day and the season. In busy season, expect a line at the cave of up to an hour. To help avoid that we sacrifice some light in the cave with more strategic start times.

Bring: sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, water, and a camera or phone. A towel, swimming goggles and an extra pair of socks are handy too.

Wear: Quick-dry, moisture-wicking clothes and a swimsuit underneath if you plan on swimming. If you're worried about sunburn, wear long sleeves and compression leggings under your shorts. You step into the water to get in and out of your kayak, so wear water shoes or sandals, not flip-flops. If you don't have water shoes, take your shoes and socks off before getting in the kayak and bring them with you. In fall and winter, bring a lightweight rain jacket or windbreaker.

Directions

From Las Vegas, take I-11 south toward Arizona; it becomes US-93 after the bridge near Hoover Dam. About 14 miles past the bridge, turn right onto Willow Beach Road and follow it about 4 miles down to the marina and Kayak Beach. The drive takes about an hour.

For a view of Black Canyon from above, stop at the Willow Beach Scenic Overlook, a pull-out on US-93 just before the Willow Beach Road turnoff.

This is a self-drive tour; transportation isn't provided. Rideshare isn't recommended, because getting a ride back out of Willow Beach is practically impossible.

Before You Arrive

Willow Beach is in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which charges an entry fee of $25 per private vehicle at the entrance station unless you have a national park pass. See the official Lake Mead fees page.

Arrive early to use the Willow Beach Marina store and restrooms. Black Canyon Grill at the marina serves breakfast and lunch; hours are seasonal. On holidays, add an extra hour to your drive, and if rangers are turning cars away at the entrance, show them your reservation.