Ice Box Canyon
- Hike
- 3 mi round trip
- Dogs
- Allowed
Ice Box Canyon only runs after rain or snowmelt. Ice Box Canyon is a waterfall in Clark County, Nevada. Reaching it is a 3 mi hike round trip.
Closures and warnings
Standing flash-flood risk: BLM says to avoid canyons while hiking during rainstorms and be ready to move to higher ground. Reaching the upper pool below the falls takes tricky wall scrambling over boulders and water-polished slickrock. As of September 28, 2026.
The falls
| Flow | Only after rain or snowmelt |
|---|---|
| Flows | December through April |
| Flow note | Seasonal waterfall that fills an upper pool at the head of the canyon; flows when snow melts in the mountains or after storms. |
| Swimming allowed | No |
|---|
Access
| Hike | 3 mi round trip |
|---|---|
| Parking | Ice Box Canyon trailhead, 7.8 mi along the one-way Scenic Drive. Paved parking on both sides of the road; vault toilet, no other facilities. |
| Fee | Scenic Drive daily pass: $20 private vehicle, $10 motorcycle, $8 bicycle, $5 pedestrian |
| Hours | Scenic Drive opens 6 a.m.; closes 5 p.m. Nov to Feb, 7 p.m. Mar and Oct, 8 p.m. Apr to Sep |
| Reservation window | Timed entry reservation required for the Scenic Drive Oct 1 to May 31 for entry 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Recreation.gov or 877-444-6777) |
| Managed by | Bureau of Land Management (Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area) |
Rules
| Dogs | Allowed |
|---|
Common questions
Common questions
Is Ice Box Canyon open?
Standing flash-flood risk: BLM says to avoid canyons while hiking during rainstorms and be ready to move to higher ground. Reaching the upper pool below the falls takes tricky wall scrambling over boulders and water-polished slickrock. As of September 28, 2026. Hours: Scenic Drive opens 6 a.m.; closes 5 p.m. Nov to Feb, 7 p.m. Mar and Oct, 8 p.m. Apr to Sep.
Can you swim at Ice Box Canyon?
No, swimming is not allowed at Ice Box Canyon.
How long is the hike to Ice Box Canyon?
It's a 3 mi hike round trip. Parking: Ice Box Canyon trailhead, 7.8 mi along the one-way Scenic Drive. Paved parking on both sides of the road; vault toilet, no other facilities.
Is there a fee at Ice Box Canyon?
The fee is Scenic Drive daily pass: $20 private vehicle, $10 motorcycle, $8 bicycle, $5 pedestrian.
When is Ice Box Canyon flowing?
It only runs after rain or snowmelt, so it is often dry. It flows December through April. Seasonal waterfall that fills an upper pool at the head of the canyon; flows when snow melts in the mountains or after storms.
What are the rules at Ice Box Canyon?
Dogs are allowed.
Photos
Nearby
Camping nearby
Public land
Ice Box Canyon is inside Rainbow Mountain Wilderness and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area .
Sources
8
- https://www.blm.gov/nevada/red-rock-canyon-nca/recreation (accessed September 28, 2026; backs manager, access.hikeDistanceMi, access.hikeDistanceBasis, hazardNote, waterfall.ephemeral, waterfall.flowNote)
- https://hikingguy.com/hikes/ice-box-canyon-red-rock/ (accessed September 28, 2026; backs access.trailhead, access.parking)
- https://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/Red_Rocks/Trailheads/Icebox/_Icebox.htm (accessed September 28, 2026; backs access.trailhead, access.parking)
- https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/nevada/red-rock-canyon-national-conservation-area/planning-your-visit (accessed September 28, 2026; backs access.fee, access.reservationWindow, rules.dogs, hazardNote, swimmerNotes.swimmingAllowed, waterfall.flowNote)
- https://www.redrockcanyonlv.org/fees/ (accessed September 28, 2026; backs access.fee)
- https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/nevada/red-rock-canyon (accessed September 28, 2026; backs access.hours)
- https://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/Red_Rocks/Icebox_Cyn/_Icebox.htm (accessed September 28, 2026; backs hazardNote)
- https://www.redrockcanyonlv.org/ice-box-canyon/ (accessed September 28, 2026; backs waterfall.flowMonths)