Gold Strike Hot Springs, Hot spring group in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Arizona–Nevada border, US

Gold Strike Hot Springs is a natural thermal area with multiple pools scattered along a canyon trail below Hoover Dam. The waters emerge at different temperatures and collect in depressions among the rocks, creating places where visitors can soak.

Archaeological evidence shows Paleo-Indians used hot springs across the American Southwest for thousands of years, and the springs in Gold Strike Canyon were part of that practice. The springs lie near Hoover Dam and historic Boulder City, in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. In 2016 the National Park Service closed the canyon trail from about May 15 to September 30 after fatalities, mostly from heat exposure, including two hikers who died on one day in June 2003.

The springs lie within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, on the Arizona/Nevada border near Boulder City and Hoover Dam. Indigenous peoples of the American Southwest used such thermal springs for thousands of years, drawn by the warmth, the mineral water and its cleansing use, as archaeological evidence of Paleo-Indian settlement shows. Today the pools are reached on foot through Gold Strike Canyon.

Plan your visit for cooler months when the trail is open and manageable, avoiding the intense summer heat. Wear sturdy shoes with good grip since the path involves scrambling over boulders and navigating rocky terrain.

One location called the Cave of Wonders requires rope assistance to reach safely, where hot water flows directly from a cave opening in the rock. Painted trail markings guide visitors to this hidden spot deep within the canyon system.