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| - About 45 minutes away from Vegas, this is a fun adventure for non-gambler or clubber when visiting Vegas. However, this is a moderate-strenuous hike depending on the fitness level.
Distance about 4-6 miles but feels longer since there are lots of climbing involved
Duration: 4-5 hour depending on how much rest breaks taken; we started 8:30 and came back by 1:00
How to get there: use hoover dam exit, google map takes you to a spot parallel to the trailhead, but you'd "arrive" at the freeway without anywhere to exit.
Trail: this trail started out flat with some pebbles and dirt on the ground; we walked into the canyon, similar to parts of Havasu Falls trail to the village. At about 20-25 min mark, there was a cooler for water donation for hikers unload extras or get some. When we went there were only empty bottles. After 30-45 min or so, we began to descent scramble down rocks after rocks; there were huge rocks that you'd have to hop or use the available ropes to climb up and down. There were about 5-8 roped areas, and for people who are not athletic, you may need team work to get up/down. Towards the end, we saw 2-3 small hot spring holes before arriving at Colorado River, which you can see a part of the Hoover Dam bridge. The water by riverbank does rise pretty quickly, so it's best to go back before it goes up too high that you cannot cross back. Friends who came previously shared that they had to seek the help of a tourist boat when that happened.
Overall love this trail, which is full of outdoor adventure, large rocks, and beautiful scenery. However, I cannot do it without friends to help me with an extra boost as some drops were steep for shorties like me. Must do hike in the area!
TIPS:
1. bring gloves to help with climbing and ropes
2. bring bathing suit to play in the water
3. bring plenty of water and snack, unless you go on a cooler day
4. bring a few buddies to help you climb up and down if you're shorty like me.
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