Pearce Ferry Rapid is a Class V rapid on the Colorado River in Mohave County, Arizona, just below the Pearce Ferry take-out at the head of Lake Mead. It did not exist until 2007, when the retreating lake left the river to cut a new channel. It lies in Lake Mead National Recreation Area near Meadview, where Grand Canyon river trips take out.
The falls
The river carved a fresh path through old reservoir sediment until it ran onto a rock ridge, and the rapid's shape keeps changing. It is rated Class V (V+ in some ratings) and 10+ on the Grand Canyon scale. The fast, turbulent water appears to act as a partial, perhaps nearly complete, barrier to fish moving upstream from Lake Mead.
Getting there
Pearce Ferry sits at the end of a 52-mile road from US 93, the same road that serves Meadview. The Lake Mead entrance fee is $25 per private vehicle for seven days; payment is by card only, and interagency passes are accepted. The ramp is for Grand Canyon river trip take-outs only: public launching is prohibited, so the run down to South Cove, about 17 miles downstream, is open only to trips already arriving from upriver. A walk of about ten minutes downstream from the take-out follows well-used trails to see the rapid, with a half-mile trail leading west from the lower parking lot.
When to go
Early-morning take-outs are recommended in summer, when temperatures often exceed 110°F.
On site
Swimming, fishing, campfires and camping are prohibited in the take-out and re-rigging area, except for permitted river trips that arrive the evening before taking out. Camping near the access road is allowed only in the Pearce Ferry Campground, for up to 14 days in a 12-month period. The restrictions are due to fluctuating water levels and swift current. Boaters continuing downstream should scout the rapid and not float it at night; the portage, 150 yards on river right, is very difficult. On April 8, 2026, a powerboat crash here killed the driver; the passenger survived.
History and name
The name comes from the ferry the Pearce family ran here from about 1876; the site is sometimes spelled Pierce Ferry.
Nearby
Iceberg Rapid is about 5.8 miles away, across the Nevada line, and Hualpai Rapids about 12.3 miles. Wards Cove Rapids is about 15.2 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.