Paddle a four-person Mantaray SUP through Black Canyon to Emerald Cave on a relaxed, beginner-friendly 3-hour tour from Willow Beach—stops for swimming, caves to explore, and desert-canyon scenery make this a social, scenic float on the Colorado River.
More ways to explore the area's outdoor wonders
The sun is a hard, white coin against the desert sky as a line of oversized Mantaray boards slides from Kayak Beach into the Colorado River. Laughter and the soft slap of paddles break the canyon’s hush; the boards barely dip under the weight of four people, a design that turns first-timers into instant confidants on the water. On this three-hour, four-mile loop from Willow Beach, the river pulls visitors into narrow side canyons where sunlight filters green through mineral-rich walls and caves gleam like hidden rooms.
Difficulty
easy
Duration
3 hours
Fitness Level
Suitable for most fitness levels; participants should be able to sit, stand, and paddle intermittently for several hours.
Wildlife
History
Black Canyon’s river corridor served Indigenous communities and later river pilots and prospectors; Willow Beach became a recreational launch point with the construction of nearby Hoover Dam and Lake Mead’s development.
Conservation
This area is managed as part of Lake Mead National Recreation Area—practice leave-no-trace, pack out trash, and use reef-safe sunscreen to protect aquatic life.
Reserve your spot on the Giant Mantaray Group Paddle Board Tour to Emerald Cave today and enjoy a trusted, highly rated experience designed to help you make the most of your adventure.
Arrive early for check-in
Plan to arrive 20–30 minutes before departure to pay the Lake Mead entry fee and meet guides at Kayak Beach.
Bring reef shoes
Rocky shorelines and slippery cave floors make water shoes useful for entering coves and climbing onto banks.
Sun protection is critical
Wear a hat, polarized sunglasses, and reef-safe sunscreen; the canyon amplifies sun exposure on flat water.
Share the weight
Distribute weight evenly on the giant SUP and communicate with teammates when standing or swimming to keep the board stable.
Water shoes
Protects feet on rocky shorelines and inside caves.
summer
Wide-brim hat & sunglasses
Shields face and eyes from intense desert sun reflected off the water.
summer
Light dry bag or phone case
Keeps electronics and keys protected during paddling and swims.
Electrolyte drink or tablets
Useful on hot days to replace salts lost while paddling and swimming.
summer