Las Vegas makes a convenient halfway point on the drive between Socorro and Reno, where I was headed to attend a mining conference. I started looking up cheap hotel rooms in Vegas when it hit me that there were perfectly good camping places near Vegas- much more appealing! A while back Sara and I went on a really pleasant overnight camping trip down the Black Canyon of the Colorado, which starts at the base of the Hoover Dam. The river just below the dam was moving so fast that by the time I looked at a map we had already passed a couple detours I wanted to take including Gold Strike Canyon and its hot springs. Now that I would be passing back through the area, I looked into how easy it would be to hike to the springs. It turned out very easy- a couple mile hike starting from a trailhead down the canyon itself so it would not be too much of a detour for the drive. Sold!
After an uneventful drive across Arizona, I reached the trailhead opposite the Hoover Dam access. This trailhead was disturbingly close to the Vegas superhighway and the tell-tale signs of broken auto glass had me a bit worried for my car. Luckily it looked like some friendly folks in a hippie bus were planning to camp in the parking lot which allayed most of my fears and I started walking down the dry wash a couple hours before dark.
How surreal this place was! The rugged volcanics smacked of a desolate and remote landscape yet it was impossible to go five minutes without signs of human marring- an enormous highway bridge plastered right over the canyon, wreckage of old cars, powerlines, graffiti, traffic noise, carved steps, trash, tourist helicopters buzzing overhead. Despite having the misfortune for being situated next to Las Vegas for the last hundred years, the canyon still preserved some of its beauty. Downstream the canyon walls continued to climb and narrow and several dryfalls and boulder chokes provided some pleasant downclimbing entertainment. The canyon abruptly opens up into large amphitheater-like area where several side canyons join. Downstream the canyon continued to narrow, and several large boulder piles were navigated.
Before long I began to see signs of hot springs nearby- minor seeps and travertine deposits. Sure enough just past the next boulder garden I came to the first of about a dozen hot pools in the canyon. This first one (below) was well built, crystal-clear, warm, and could probably fit about ten people easily. But it was only the first pool and I had more to explore. Downstream from this pool a small warm water stream formed in the canyon, which persists all the way down to the Colorado River. The canyon becomes lush and water ouzels called out for me to follow them. Presently I came to two more nice pools before continuing downcanyon to a boulder choke where the canyon takes a narrow turn. These were my favorite hot springs and I would end up camping here for the night. A rope led down a sloping boulder to a ledge between two beautiful pools- on canyon's left a crystal-clear lukewarm pool, on canyon's right the cave pool, where I would soak much of the evening.
I had another 30-40 minutes of daylight so I continued exploring down
the canyon. The going got rougher (lots of boulder scrambling) and for
about 10 minutes there were no more good soaking pools. Then I came to
the second group of hot springs, collectively referred to as Nevada Hot
Springs. The upper pools was most impressive- a high-volume 5 foot-high
hot waterfall poured into a deep (6 feet?) crystal clear pool with room
for 20. This pool was almost too hot, and the chain of pools downstream
suggest that other people had thought the same. As the canyon takes a
turn to the left, copious springs emerge from the wall on canyon right
making a hanging garden of sorts. Another five minutes of obstacles and I
was at the Colorado River. The sunset was just beginning to kick in so I
quickly dropped my pack and readied my camera and tripod. Hoover Dam was just out of view but I got a rather nice shot of the bridge downstream in sunset pinks. I explored the sauna cave upstream briefly, put my headlight on and then slogged back up Gold Strike Canyon to my chosen campsite next to the cave pool.
The cave pool (frontispiece) had old sandbags blocking a channel between two rocks which created a 4-5 foot-deep pool, 5 feet-wide by 14 feet-long.
At the back of the pool was a dark and narrow crack. Probing with my
light I realized there was a room beyond and it would be possible to
swim under the narrow constriction to emerge into this secret sauna. The
walls were adorned with creamy-white calcite and the water temperature
was noticeably warmer. That was the best part about this pool- you could
find the perfect temperature by moving forward or backward in this
pool. It made for one of the best hot spring soaks I have had in a while. I would like to say the stars were amazing but the reality was that the lights of Vegas bleed their way over my head. Nevertheless, it was a remarkably warm and pleasant evening. I slept out on the ground with my sleeping bag lightly draped over me.
I awoke bright and early to the dawn flights of helicopters. I had a mandatory soak in every pool upstream before hiking back up to my car, picking up abundant trash along the way. Gold Strike made for the perfect overnight stay for me and I piled back in my (unbroken into) car feeling much more refreshed than if I had slept in a cheap Vegas hotel. The drive across Nevada was very eventful! After negotiating a head on tumbleweed storm I crossed one of the high passes and the entire northern half of Nevada I drove through heavy snow and ice. At one point I lost control and skidded off the highway. I shifted the car into 4WD-L and remarkably got back on the road without further incident. I ended this most stressful drive at a friend's warm place outside of Reno. Thanks to Jim for that.
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