Colorado River Overlook Trail

This is a 3.62-mile out-and-back from the end of Boy Scout Canyon Road to a rocky knob high above the Colorado River. Allow about 3½ to 4 hours. The first mile and a half follows the canyon wash; then the route leaves it for a worn use trail and a final scramble. It is a good fit if you are comfortable finding your way over bare rock and staying beside exposed edges. The short mileage makes it look easier than it is.

The canyon is mostly open with little shade, though narrower stretches give some cover. About 0.8 mile in, a 15-foot pour-over requires an easy third-class downclimb. At about 1.5 miles, the wash widens over water-polished rock cut by shallow, winding slots. Take the southbound branch there. It crosses bare rock without an obvious tread at first; the worn path becomes clearer on dirt, crosses a side wash, then climbs steeply to the skyline. Continuing down the main wash leads toward the terminal pour-overs and hot spring, a separate and more technical outing.

The route reaches a narrow ridge with a near-vertical drop of about 500 feet on its north side. Stay on the south side, cross a saddle, and scramble up the rocky knob. The return retraces the same line. The descent off the cliff toward the hot spring is not part of this overlook hike.

The high point looks north toward Black Canyon Bridge, east and south along the Colorado River, and west across Black Canyon’s cliffs. For a photo, include a little broken rock in the foreground with the river below to show the drop; take it from secure ground, well back from the exposed edge.

The trailhead is at the end of approved backcountry road 58, Boy Scout Canyon Road. The last 2.2 miles from the Lake Mead boundary signs are described as sandy 4WD access; walking that stretch adds about 4.4 miles round trip, making the outing roughly 8 miles. No services were confirmed at the road-end access, so carry your water and food. Check current road conditions before driving. Pets are allowed on park hiking trails on a leash no longer than six feet, but the downclimb and exposed ridge make this a poor fit for many dogs.