Hoover Dam rafting: a calm float through the Black Canyon
Hoover Dam rafting is a float, not a rapid. Below the dam the Colorado River runs flat through the Black Canyon, and the trips here use guided motor rafts, so no rafting experience is needed. From the water you look up at the dam wall and the bridge high overhead, a different angle from the one on the crest. Launching at the foot of the dam requires a permit and an escort by a licensed operator, which is why visitors book a tour instead of bringing their own boat.
The five trips below fall into three groups. Boat-only trips cost 69 to 134 USD per person, and two ten-hour helicopter combinations cost 699 and 744 USD. Prices as of November 2026.
Our picks: Hoover Dam rafting
For a first float, the 1.5-hour guided tour is the straightforward choice. Without a car, the trip with the bus from Las Vegas takes care of the transport. The two helicopter combinations are full ten-hour days for those who also want the Grand Canyon from the air.
Hand-picked tours, booked through Viator and GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of November 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Helicopter flight over the dam with a river raft trip
- Helicopter flight over the dam
- Guided river rafting
- Boxed lunch
A flight over Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and the Black Canyon, then a guided raft trip, with a boxed lunch and a glass of champagne. A 30 USD fuel surcharge is paid at check-in.
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Grand Canyon flight with a smooth-water river raft
- Grand Canyon helicopter flight
- 14-mile guided raft trip
- Hotel transport
A Grand Canyon helicopter flight with views of Hoover Dam and the Bypass Bridge, then a 14-mile smooth-water raft trip and a picnic lunch.
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Colorado River raft float with bus from Las Vegas
- Raft float on the Colorado
- Return bus
- Water and a snack
A raft float on the Colorado River below the dam, with the return bus from Las Vegas, bottled water and a snack.
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Hoover Dam rafting with a choice of length
- Lunch bag
- Water
A rafting trip below the dam with a lunch bag and water. The length and the meeting point depend on the option you choose. Park entry without a national park pass is extra.
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Guided raft tour in the Black Canyon
- Guided raft tour
- Life jacket
- Views of the dam from the river
A guided float on the Colorado River with views of Hoover Dam from the water. Check-in is at the hotel parking lot by 10:30.
Check availability →Hoover Dam rafting tours
Guided raft floats below the dam, a bus trip from Las Vegas and helicopter combinations, with live prices and availability.
The short raft tour: 1.5 hours on the river
The 69 USD tour is the simplest way onto the water. You drive yourself to the west parking lot of the hotel on US 93 in Boulder City, check in by 10:30 and depart at 11:00 sharp. Parking at the check-in point is free. The guided float lasts 1.5 hours and includes a life jacket, a water bottle, a fruit cup and cookies. It carries a 4.9 rating from 260 reviews, the most of any raft trip here.
This is the right choice for first-timers, couples and families. The operator takes guests from infants to seniors and names no personal weight limit. Children under 13 wear their life jacket for the whole ride.
A raft float with the bus from Las Vegas
If you have no car, the 134 USD trip takes about four hours in total and includes the return bus, a raft float on the Colorado, bottled water and a snack. The 65 USD gap to the short tour pays for the bus from Las Vegas. It is rated 4.2 from 34 reviews.
Longer rafting formats
The 73 USD rafting adventure is sold with options from 1.5 to 6 hours and starts at one of two meeting points, depending on the option. A lunch bag and water are included. The long format on this stretch covers about three hours on the water with stops on shore and ends at Willow Beach on the Arizona side.
Helicopter and rafting combinations
Two ten-hour days pair a helicopter with the river. The 744 USD trip flies over the dam, Lake Mead and the Black Canyon, adds a guided raft trip and a boxed lunch with a glass of champagne, and collects guests from most Strip and Downtown hotels on request. A 30 USD fuel surcharge is paid at check-in. The 699 USD day combines a Grand Canyon helicopter flight with a 14-mile guided smooth-water raft trip, a picnic lunch and hotel transport. Choose these if the Grand Canyon from the air matters as much to you as the river.
When to go and what to bring
The river can be used all year. Autumn and winter are cooler but can bring strong wind, while late spring and summer are hot, and the ride has little shade. Strong wind, hail or thunderstorms can cancel a departure, and rain ponchos are kept on board. Pick your date in the booking calendar, since tours on this stretch run on selected days.
Wear comfortable clothes, closed shoes, a hat and sunglasses, and put on sunscreen. Glass, Styrofoam and alcohol are not allowed on board. Access to the boats depends on the water level, and wheelchairs must fold.
Hoover Dam rafting: frequently asked questions
Is Hoover Dam rafting whitewater?
No. The guided motor rafts run on flat water in the Black Canyon, and no rafting experience is required.
How much does Hoover Dam rafting cost?
Boat-only trips cost 69 USD for the 1.5-hour tour, 73 USD for the adventure with options and 134 USD with the bus from Las Vegas. The helicopter combinations cost 699 and 744 USD.
How long is the raft tour?
The short tour lasts 1.5 hours on the water, from an 11:00 departure. With the bus from Las Vegas, the trip takes about four hours in total, and the helicopter combinations take ten hours.
Can children go rafting below Hoover Dam?
Yes. The operator takes guests from infants to seniors, and children under 13 wear their life jacket during the whole ride.