Two Mile Hot Spring
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Two Mile Hot Spring is a primitive hot spring listed near Boulder City, Nevada. No soak temperature is on record. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
Remote warm/hot pools in upper Boy Scout Canyon on the Nevada side of Black Canyon (Lake Mead NRA / Black Canyon Wilderness), below Hoover Dam — reached by kayaking the Black Canyon Water Trail to ~river mile 62 then hiking up-canyon and climbing fixed ropes, or by a difficult 4-mile desert hike that dead-ends at a 330-foot pour-over above the river.
Checked May 2026 · verified against an official source · 8 sources ↓
Staying overnight?
A town stay for a separate Lake Mead / Black Canyon trip.
Boulder City is about 5 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via NPS Lake Mead — seasonal trail closures (May 15-Sep 30) and note that hot springs remain accessible from the Colorado River.
- Cost: Fees reported — confirm current rates before visiting.
- Getting there: No verified hike distance on record — confirm the route and road conditions.
- Water: No soak temperature on record — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Clothing policy unknown — verify locally; pets reported not allowed — confirm current rules.
- Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
- Reservations/permits: No spring permit; Lake Mead NRA entrance/lake use fees apply; Hoover Dam launches only via authorized outfitters.
- Best time to go: October-April (cooler months); avoid May-September extreme heat.
- Clothing reality: No posted policy; remote canyon pools.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: Not accessible — kayak approach plus rope climbs, or a hard desert canyon route.
- Two ways in, both serious: (1) kayak Black Canyon Water Trail to the Boy Scout Canyon beach near mile 61.75-62, walk ~1/4-1/2 mile up the wash, then climb installed fixed ropes past waterfalls to the upper 'two-mile' pools; (2) a ~4-mile desert hike down Boy Scout Canyon that ENDS at a 330-foot pour-over — you cannot descend the pour-over to the river
- Launching at Hoover Dam is regulated — must go through authorized outfitters (e.g., permitted shuttle/livery); cheaper alternative is launching at Willow Beach and paddling upriver
- Lake Mead NRA entrance pass required; Black Canyon is a security zone — no stopping near the dam intake structures
- NPS seasonal heat closure May 15-Sept 30 covers Goldstrike, White Rock, and Arizona Hot Springs TRAILS; hot springs remain legally accessible from the river, but summer canyon temps exceed 110F — extreme heat danger applies to Boy Scout Canyon equally even though its land route isn't on the named closure list
- Do not trust old ropes left by other visitors — NPS warns fixed lines can be unsafe; rope sections involve climbing wet rock beside waterfalls
- Hydroelectric releases from Hoover Dam raise the river quickly — mind river levels and wind
- Remote: no services, help is far away
- Hazard: Extreme heat (seasonal trail closures nearby; temps >110F in summer)
- Hazard: Rope climbs on wet rock beside waterfalls — fixed ropes may be unreliable
- Hazard: 330-ft pour-over dead-end on the land route
- Hazard: Rapid river-level changes from Hoover Dam releases
- Hazard: Remoteness — no rescue infrastructure in Black Canyon Wilderness
About this spring
GNIS-catalogued hot spring on the Nevada side of the Colorado River in Black Canyon below Hoover Dam (Lake Mead NRA), ~2 mi from Arizona Hot Springs — a more private alternative to the crowded canyon springs. NOTE: in Nevada, not California. Fee: Lake Mead NRA fees may apply. Extreme heat — nearby NPS trails close May-Sep due to heat deaths. No maintained trail; remote.
Two Mile Hot Spring is a GNIS-catalogued thermal spring on the Nevada side of Black Canyon on the Colorado River, downstream of Hoover Dam within Lake Mead National Recreation Area, on the Ringbolt Rapids USGS quadrangle at roughly 880 feet elevation. It belongs to a cluster of fault-controlled thermal springs — including Arizona Hot Springs and the Goldstrike Canyon springs — that a USGS-NPS geologic study found discharge along faults intruded by dacite dikes and plugs, with weeping walls and seeps spreading through fractured volcanic breccia; groundwater circulating along these faults is heated to as much as 131°F. The spring has no maintained land access: visitors reach it by kayak or boat upriver from Willow Beach, or by extremely rugged off-trail canyon routes. Because of deadly summer heat, NPS closes nearby canyon trails — including Arizona Hot Springs and Goldstrike Canyon — each year from May 15 through September 30, though the riverside hot springs themselves remain open and reachable by water.
Directions & trailhead access
Reachable only by kayak/boat up Black Canyon from Willow Beach (or launch below Hoover Dam), or extremely rugged off-trail canyon routes — experienced desert hikers only.
Nevada geothermal context
Nevada has more hot springs per square mile than any other state — Basin and Range faulting brings deep thermal water to the surface across nearly every valley. Most sites are primitive seeps and tubs on public BLM land reached by long, unmaintained dirt roads. Carry extra water, and watch for flash floods in desert washes during storms.
What a primitive site means here
Primitive springs have no facilities: no changing rooms, no trash service, often no maintained road to the pool. Expect natural rock or gravel bottoms, water temperature that varies by spot and season, and other visitors who may treat the site informally. Pack out everything you bring, test the water before entering, and leave the pool cleaner than you found it.
Best time to visit
October – April (Fall, Winter & Spring)Desert thermal zones experience high summer ambient heat. The cooler months from late autumn to early spring offer the most refreshing ambient conditions for open-air soaking.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | Not reported |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | Not reported |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Fees reported |
| Clothing policy | Unknown — verify locally |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | NPS Lake Mead — seasonal trail closures (May 15-Sep 30) and note that hot springs remain accessible from the Colorado River |
Two Mile Hot Spring FAQ
Is Two Mile Hot Spring open right now?
Remote warm/hot pools in upper Boy Scout Canyon on the Nevada side of Black Canyon (Lake Mead NRA / Black Canyon Wilderness), below Hoover Dam — reached by kayaking the Black Canyon Water Trail to ~river mile 62 then hiking up-canyon and climbing fixed ropes, or by a difficult 4-mile desert hike that dead-ends at a 330-foot pour-over above the river. (Status verified against an official source, last checked May 2026.)
Is Two Mile Hot Spring free?
Two Mile Hot Spring is listed with reported fees near Boulder City. Fees are reported; confirm admission, parking and permit costs with the site manager.
What temperature is Two Mile Hot Spring?
No soak temperature is on record for Two Mile Hot Spring. Always test water temperature before entering.
Is Two Mile Hot Spring clothing optional?
Directory records do not confirm the clothing policy at Two Mile Hot Spring — verify current rules before visiting.
How do you access Two Mile Hot Spring?
Two Mile Hot Spring is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Where to stay in Boulder City
A town stay for a separate Lake Mead / Black Canyon trip. Check seasonal heat closures, permits and trail or river access first.
Boulder City is about 5 mi from the spring (straight line).
We may earn a commission from bookings through these links, at no extra cost to you.
Sources & references
- NPS Lake Mead — seasonal trail closures (May 15-Sep 30) and note that hot springs remain accessible from the Colorado River — official · 2024-05
- NPS — Hike the Goldstrike Canyon Trail (heat closure language, rope warnings, Black Canyon conditions) — official · 2026-05
- Black Canyon Water Trail guide (Boy Scout Canyon ~mile 62, hot springs 1/2 mile up canyon) — official · 2019
- Blazin' Paddles (authorized outfitter) — Black Canyon Water Trail caves & canyons (ropes to 'two-mile hot springs') — operator · 2024
- Gaia GPS — Two Mile Hot Spring POI, Black Canyon Wilderness — community · 2024
- TripBucket — Boy Scout Canyon to Two Mile Hot Springs (4-mile hike ending at pour-over) — community · 2020
Additional references for this record; a source link does not guarantee current conditions.
Details above were verified against the named sources on their listed dates — conditions change, so recheck before traveling. · How we verify our data · Report a correction
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