Black Canyon Wilderness
Black Canyon Wilderness is a 17,220-acre wilderness area in Clark County, Nevada. It rises from about 651 to 2,809 ft. The nearest town is Boulder City, 9 miles away in a straight line.
Black Canyon Wilderness map
Black Canyon Wilderness boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.
Fire restrictions
2 fire restriction orders are recorded for this unit as of Sept. 30, 2026. Each links the signed order.
- NPS Lake Mead National Recreation Area Fire Restrictions Rescissions Effective Oct. 1, 2026. Applies to this wilderness, managed by Lake Mead National Recreation Area (National Park Service). Listed under Southern Nevada on Nevada Fire Info. The signed order states the exact area, what it prohibits, and exemptions.
- NPS Lake Mead National Recreation Area Fire Restrictions Effective May 29, 2026. Applies to this wilderness, managed by Lake Mead National Recreation Area (National Park Service). Listed under Southern Nevada on Nevada Fire Info. The signed order states the exact area, what it prohibits, and exemptions.
Nevada Fire Info, BLM Nevada's interagency fire site, keeps the Nevada fire restrictions map and signed orders for every fire zone, and a Nevada fire map of active fires.
Common questions
- Camping in Black Canyon Wilderness is limited to 15 days.
- The maximum group size at Black Canyon Wilderness is 12.
- Campfires are allowed: Fire pan or fire blanket required; Not during regional fire restrictions.
- Boulder City, NV is the nearest town, 9 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
- The highest ground in Black Canyon Wilderness is about 2,809 ft, and its lowest about 651 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Camp Knob, about 2,503 ft.
Who manages Black Canyon Wilderness
| Agency | Acres | Permit | Group size | Stay limit | Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Park Service | 17,220 | Not on record | 12 | 15 days | Lake Mead National Recreation Area, 702-293-8990 |
Getting to Black Canyon Wilderness
- Boulder City, NV is the nearest town, 9 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-25)
Trailheads at Black Canyon Wilderness
- Boyscout Canyon Trailhead (0.01 mi outside the boundary, 1,713 ft), at 35.9728, -114.7698 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
- Gold Strike Hot Springs Trail Head (0.98 mi outside the boundary, 1,582 ft), at 36.0098, -114.7687 (mapped on OpenStreetMap)
Trailheads mapped on OpenStreetMap: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License , accessed 2026-09-25. The extract used here, with distances from the boundary: osm-trailheads-nv.json. Where an agency layer lists the same trailhead, the agency's point is shown instead. Elevations from USGS 3DEP.
Named summits, canyons, and springs in Black Canyon Wilderness
- Camp Knob summit
- North Fork Boy Scout Canyon canyon
- South Fork Boy Scout Canyon canyon
- Bighorn Sheep Spring spring
- Hot Spring spring
Features whose official location is inside the boundary, from the USGS Geographic Names Information System, accessed 2026-09-25. Summit elevations measured on the USGS 3DEP elevation model, which can read a few feet under a surveyed summit height.
Public lands next to Black Canyon Wilderness
- National Park Service unitBlack Canyon Wilderness lies inside Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
- Wilderness areaEldorado Wilderness is 0.3 miles away, straight line between the two boundaries.
Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.
Other wilderness areas in Nevada
- https://wilderness.net/visit-wilderness/?ID=51 (accessed 2026-09-25)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n36w115/USGS_1_n36w115.tif (accessed 2026-09-25)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/Elevation/1/TIFF/current/n37w115/USGS_1_n37w115.tif (accessed 2026-09-25)
- https://prd-tnm.s3.amazonaws.com/StagedProducts/GeographicNames/DomesticNames/DomesticNames_NV_Text.zip (accessed 2026-09-25)
- https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2025_Gazetteer/2025_gaz_place_32.txt (accessed 2026-09-25)
- https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright (accessed 2026-09-25)