Black Canyon Kayak & Bike Tour with Transportation

Despite the Black Canyon name, the water half of this tour is Lake Mead, not the Colorado River below Hoover Dam. Blazin' Paddles collects you from a Strip hotel and stops at its office in the Hoover Dam Lodge, then the guided ride begins: 6.5-plus miles, most of it downhill, on the River Mountains Loop Trail. That's a paved, non-motorized trail; the full loop runs 34 miles, about 16 of them inside Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

At the end of the ride you trade the bike for a kayak and follow the guide along the shoreline, nosing into coves and around small islands. One island is the break: swim, stretch, eat the snacks and drink the cold water the crew hands out. Bikes, helmets, kayaks, paddles and life jackets are supplied, and the day takes about 3 hours of activity and 4 to 5 hours door to door, from $171 including fees. Emerald Cave, the hot springs and lunch aren't part of it. If the glowing cave is the point, the simpler Black Canyon Kayak Tour with Transportation paddles there and back from Willow Beach. This one suits people who want two easy activities in one morning and already know how to ride a bike.