Las Vegas is surrounded by fascinating natural sights and one of these is Black Canyon. Unlike the other canyons in the area which tend to have red or multi-colored rock layers, Black Canyon is . . . black. It almost appears that the canyon has been charred in a giant barbecue! And right through the middle of it all, the blue water of the Colorado River flows.

Black Canyon is the location of Ragtown, a jumbled city of cardboard boxes and tents built by the desperate families who came to work on the Hoover Dam during the Depression. They lived here because Las Vegas was too far away for them to walk to work. Though there is nothing left to indicate thousands of people once lived here, you can certainly imagine them, children playing on the riverbank while their mothers washed clothes and their fathers worked long hard days on the dam . . . some of these children still live in Boulder City, which was built to house the dam workers.

As you cruise down the Colorado River, you can relax and watch out for wildlife like mountain sheep and birds. The rafts are extremely safe, so you can rest assured that you´ll be secure as you raft. A little pause to lunch and swim near the Hoover Dam and then you´re ready to go souvenir shopping and to head back to your Las Vegas hotel.