RonnieAdventure #0379 - Lake Mead National Recreation Area - Gold Strike Canyon Hike, Nevada

Gold Strike Canyon is another one of my favorite hikes that I have made a number of times -- but only during the winter months. Unlike Bowl of Fire where I have never encountered another hiker, this is a popular hike and every time I have hiked the Canyon I have always encountered numerous people.

Over the years there have been a number of heat related deaths in Gold Strike Canyon, so the Rangers from Lake Mead National Recreation Area now close the area during the summer months. The ambient temperature in the Canyon is amplified by the many hot springs that spew hot water and steam from cracks in the canyon walls. The heat feels good during the winter months, but not during the summer. And, of course, there always a number of 55-year-old wrinkled-up old male nudies that sit in the hot springs.

This hike should not be attempted by inexperienced hikers. Gold Strike Canyon is located about one mile downstream from Hoover Dam and there are a number of Class 3 and Class 4 drops in the canyon on the way down to the Colorado River. Some steps have been carve in the rocks and some permanently anchored ropes have been installed at the top of each drop, so hikers do not have to bring their own ropes, unless they want an extra measure of safety.

There is a lot of water in the canyon and there are many places that require walking in the water to get past narrow parts of the canyon, so most people get wet before they get to the Colorado River. 

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

Picture by Kolohe

BONUS PICTURE 

RonnieAdventure #0378 - Lake Mead National Recreation Area - Bowl of Fire, Nevada

Bowl of Fire is one of the most overlooked areas in Nevada, which is probably due to the fact that the area is only accessible by cross-country hiking. The landscape is very similar to Valley of Fire State Park, located a few miles down the road, but at Bowl of Fire there are no roads, improvements, or crowds. I have been to this area many times and I have never encountered another hiker, other than someone from our group.

Most hikers access the area from a pull-out on Lake Mead Northshore Drive; however, with a four-wheel drive vehicle it is possible to drive up Callville Wash and save some walking distance. The sand in Callville wash is very soft in many places, so this drive should only be attempted in a four-wheel drive vehicle -- it is a long-long walk to find the nearest tow vehicle!

There are no marked hiking trails in Bowl of Fire, so most people just wander around in the maze of red sandstone outcrops and enjoy the unusual rock patterns that have been shaped by wind and water. 

Bowl of Fire is full of unnamed arches and unusual formations and every time I visit the area I find something new. One time when hiking in a remove part of the Bowl, I discovered a natural bridge that was unknown to the Lake Mead National Recreation Area Staff. The following pictures are a compilation from several different hikes in Bowl of Fire are in no particular order.

BONUS PICTURE