Sauna Cave Hot Spring

The Sauna Cave is a fascinating little hike — especially if you're heading down the Colorado River toward Arizona Hot Springs. The cave itself is short and narrow, characterized by warm, humid air and a small geothermal pool at its end. It’s not really a place to soak (unless you enjoy sitting in a shallow puddle of hot water in complete darkness), but stepping inside feels like entering a natural steam room. The walls drip, your glasses fog up instantly, and the temperature rises quickly. Bring a flashlight — the cave turns pitch black after just a few steps. As part of the larger Goldstrike/Hot Springs loop, it's a fun bonus feature if you’re into odd little side quests. Just don’t expect a luxurious hot spring — this is more about the novelty of standing in a geothermally heated slot in the rock than relaxing in a pool. Best visited in cooler months.You’ll need good shoes and a bit of scrambling skill. The cave entrance is easy to miss — look for steam rising from a crack in the wall near the confluence of hot spring runoff.

Not easy to find, hidden behind bushes is this man-made cave from the great depression! Knee-deep hot spring water greet you the moment you enter the cave. The farther you go the warmer it gets! Just watch your head and take a flashlight! True to the name your glasses and cameras will fog up completely. Some of the best pictures I’ve ever taken from here as a tour guide were from the mouth of the cave looking out onto the river. Getting here can be extremely difficult and as I said hard to find. That’s why it’s good to take a tour guide. Desert Adventures offers guided tours starting from the Hoover dam which make paddling to here a breeze. Request Holmes (That’s me!)for your tour guide and I will take you to all the best hidden spots🤙

We did not get a chance to hike all the way to the sauna cave hot springs; only to the entrance from the Colorado river, South of Hoover Dam. We will be back there before the end of summer 2025. We will share our experience. Make sure you secure your jetski or boat properly. That would be an experience if you get back and your ride was/were gone. That would be a long swim/hike with no trail to get back to Hoover Dam base and get help. Leave 1 friend to keep an eye on the Jetski or boat and take turns exploring🙌. Boating/Jet-skiing toward the dam from Willow Beach allowed on designated days ONLY.

Sauna Cave (NV-63): During the construction of Hoover Dam, workers started to drill a tunnel in this area. When they encounter the water’s intense heat, they they abandoned the site. The cave entrance is up a slight embankment and contains mineral-rich springwater that becomes warmer as the cave becomes darker. Inside, breathe deeply and listen to the sound of dripping water. Avoid touching the cave walls to preserve the cave’s inner coating of minerals.

Our first stop on our Best Dam Day Trip in the world. Love to take a minute of silence all the way back at the end of the cave in total darkness deep within the earth and set our intentions for the trips. Great way to set the tone and have our Adventure Child guests appreciate all the wonderful moments on our Epic journey down the colorado river.