The 5 Best Cliff Jumping Spots in Nevada
Nevada has 5 documented cliff jumping spots on CliffScout, 5 of them community-verified. These are the standouts — ranked by verification, documentation, and community activity, not hype. Every listing links to a full page with photos, heights, and access notes.
Nevada is a desert state, so its cliff jumping clusters around two bodies of water. Lake Tahoe's Nevada east shore is the headliner — Sand Harbor, Bonsai Rock, Secret Cove, and Chimney Beach offer granite ledges over staggeringly clear (and cold) alpine water. Down south, the Colorado River and Lake Mohave hold Nelson's Landing in Eldorado Canyon and Gold Strike Hot Springs below Hoover Dam. The Tahoe water is frigid year-round and several spots are officially discouraged; the southern desert spots bake in summer and the Gold Strike trail closes in extreme heat.
- 1
Whale Beach (Lake Tahoe) Verified
Carson City
Whale Beach is a boat-access or steep hike-in cove on Lake Tahoe's Nevada shore, roughly 1.5-2.5 miles south of Sand Harbor off NV-28, named for a whale-shaped rock exposed when the lake is low. There is no dedicated trailhead… Full guide →
- 2
Bonsai Rock Verified
Incline Village
Bonsai Rock is one of the most-photographed spots on Lake Tahoe's Nevada east shore — a granite outcrop topped by small wind-shaped pines, just off Highway 28 near Sand Harbor. It's reached by a short, steep scramble down from… Full guide →
- 3
Gold Strike Hot Springs Verified
Boulder City
Gold Strike Hot Springs sits in a Colorado River side canyon below Hoover Dam, near Boulder City, inside the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Reaching it means a strenuous, roughly 4-mile round-trip hike down Gold Strike… Full guide →
- 4
Secret Cove Verified
Carson City
Secret Cove is a granite-boulder beach on Lake Tahoe's Nevada east shore, reached by a short but moderately steep half-mile trail off Highway 28/89 near the Chimney Beach trailhead lot. Large rounded boulders along the shoreline… Full guide →
- 5
Chimney Beach Verified
Carson City
Chimney Beach sits on Lake Tahoe's Nevada east shore off Highway 28, named for a lone stone chimney left from an old cabin, and reached by a moderate half-mile trail down from roadside parking. Big granite boulders scattered… Full guide →
Exact coordinates, water depths, and community clips for every spot above:
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Cliff jumping in Nevada: common questions
What are the best cliff jumping spots in Nevada?
On Lake Tahoe's east shore: Sand Harbor, Bonsai Rock, Secret Cove, and Chimney Beach. In the south: Nelson's Landing (Eldorado Canyon, Lake Mohave) and Gold Strike Hot Springs on the Colorado River near Boulder City.
Is cliff jumping legal at Lake Tahoe in Nevada?
Jumping happens widely along the east shore, but it's officially discouraged in places and the water is dangerously cold. Use caution, scout depth, and follow any posted rules.
Is Nevada good for cliff jumping?
For a desert state, yes — but it's concentrated. Lake Tahoe's coves and the Colorado River/Lake Mohave spots are the real draws; there isn't much in between.
Browse the full list: all 5 spots in Nevada