The trailhead is just of off highway 93, exit 2. This is the Hoover Dam exit, just before the bridge on the Nevada side. Take exit 2, and on the south side, at the stop sign, turn left on a good dirt road. The road is signed 4x4 only, but is generally passable by all vehicles. The trailhead is the end of this road, less than 1/2 miles from the stop sign.

From the trailhead, walk down the wide sandy wash. In 5 minutes, you will pass the abutment of the new highway bridge. Continuing down the canyon is easy passage to a small dryfall. Pass this on the left, following the obvious social trail. 5 minutes below the dryfall is the first major obstacle, a chockstone with a 5 m ( 17 ft. ) drop on the downstream side. There are carved steps to allow for downclimbing, but beginners and dogs will need a spot or hand-line.

The canyon opens, before narrowing and deepening again. As you head down from this point, there are numerous small boulder problems to work over and through. None are particularly difficult, especially if you look around for the most traveled path.

When the hot water begins flowing, you have reached Gold Strike hot springs. There are usually a couple of great pools in this section. Just below the canyon begins dropping steeply with more boulders to work through. Keep working down, enjoying the many small pools. The canyon opens on the Colorado River, offering great views up canyon of the new Hoover Dam bypass bridge.

Note: Just up Gold Strike from the river is an amazing pool on the left (looking up canyon) before a small waterfall. In addition to being a good soaking pool, look up, and across the canyon from the pool. There is an old ladder that is a remnant of the dam construction. Climbing it is no longer recommended, but it is an interesting sight to see.

Note 2: If you wade up the Colorado River a short distance (60 m) above Gold Strike, a hot spring comes out of the wall on the left. It makes a good out of the way lunch spot but typically does not have a pool at the bottom.