Hoover Dam
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
Hoover Dam is one of the places you've probably seen a lot of in photographs, history books, and learned about in grade school, but haven't yet taken the time to visit in person. As impressive as all the photos and history are, it's not quite the same as actually being there to see the enormity, complexity, and concrete beauty of it all. Recently, my family and I had the exciting opportunity to visit this monument to America's past, energy infrastructure, and monument for what has made our country what it is today.
Preparing to Visit Hoover Dam
Before you travel out to see Hoover Dam, I encourage you to check out the Bureau of Reclamation website and decide what tour (if any) you want to do. Buy tickets in advance. And plan your trip to get to the dam early. Tours and large groups start arriving usually about 1 - 2 hours after opening, so if you can get there right when it opens or a little before you're more likely to get in quickly, see what you want, and get out before its too crowded and too hot.
Getting there
My family and I started our trip at The Venetian in Las Vegas, NV. We used Las Vegas as a "home base" for exploring during a spring break get-away.
The dam was an easy drive from Las Vegas, taking roughly 45 minutes when we drove out. We left early, around 7:00am local time with the goal of reaching the Hoover Dam parking lot before the official opening at 8:00am. The drive itself was beautiful with a lot of mountainous scenery once you got past Las Vegas proper.
What You'll See
A damn, a lake, a river and a bridge, of course! But these pieces are so much grander than they sound when you see them in-person. Hoover Dam has a lot to see whether you have a short stop-over or have several hours to see it all.
If you have the time, I highly suggest you take a tour of the dam. There are a few options and it allows you the chance to see the tunnels, original pipes, the turbines, and more depending on which tour you go on. See the next section for more on what you'll see on the tours!
Things You Must See
If you don't see anything else, these are my top things at Hoover Dam that I recommend you make the time for.
Walk across the footpath on both sides. You'll cross from one state to another (Nevada, Arizona). On one side you'll see the slope of Hoover Dam and the Turbine Houses at the Colorado River and the Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. On the other side you'll see the intake towers and Lake Meade.
The Winged Figures of the Republic – this is an art installation consisting of several statues, a 142 foot flagpole, and a beautiful art deco star map on the Nevada side.
Stand in 2 states at once. At the middle of the dam on the Lake Meade side there is a marker showing where you are crossing state lines. This is your opporunity to stand in 2 places at once!
Self-Guided Tour of the Visitors Center. The visitors center is free and has a wonderful exhibit that takes you through construction of the dam, fun facts, and more. Packed with interactive exhibits mixed amongst sculptures and traditional exhibits, you won't be disappointed.
Tours
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation offers several different tours of Hoover Dam in addition to allowing people to walk the outside of the dam on your own. All tours start in a small theater that shows a movie about the building of the dam and its history.
Guided Power Plant Tour
This is the only tour you can purchase online in advance. It's a great tour, and one that my family and I went on. This tour lasts about 35 - 45 minutes and takes you down into the main area of the power plant.
Guided Dam Tour
Tickets for this tour must be purchased on-site. So if you want to go on it, get there right when the dam opens because it sells out quickly. The Guided Dam Tour will take you into the historic tunnels, including the inspection shaft to the Colorado River, and then also includes everything that the Power Plant Tour does. It's a little longer, taking about 60 - 75 minutes, but offers unique views you won't get to see otherwise.
Fun Facts
While there's no shortage of facts and history regarding Hoover Dam, here are a few quick ones to get your imagination going:
When it was built, it was the largest hydroelectric dam in the world. Today, it's not even in the top 20 largest.
Nearby Boulder City was founded to house the workers of Hoover Dam (originally called Boulder Dam).
The Dam created America's largest reservoir, Lake Meade.
Despite popular stories, no one was buried alive in the dam.
The Dam receives almost 7 million visitors each year.
Additional Things Near Hoover Dam
If you have additional time, there's a ton within a short drive that you can see. Lake Meade is a great hot spot if you have time to rent a boat, go on the lake, and relax. Boulder City (which the dam was originally named after) is close by with some nice restauarants, shops, and some local flare.
