Massive concrete arch-gravity dam spanning the Colorado River, offering tours, exhibits, and panoramic views of engineering and natural marvels.
General Information
Visitor Center: Daily 9am to 4:15pm
Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas
Power Plant Tour: Adults $15, Seniors/Military/Juniors $12
Parking: $10
How to Get There
From Las Vegas (35 mi): Take US-93 S through Boulder City, then follow signs to Hoover Dam via Nevada State Route 172.
Overview
Hoover Dam is a 726-foot concrete arch-gravity dam in Black Canyon on the Colorado River, on the Nevada-Arizona border about 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas. Built between 1931 and 1936 during the Great Depression (originally as Boulder Dam), it controls floods, produces hydroelectric power, and stores water in Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the U.S. by volume when full. Workers built the town of Boulder City for the project. The Art Deco design by Gordon Kaufmann and the interior designs of Allen Tupper True, with Navajo and Pueblo motifs, make it a landmark as well as an engineering feat.
Highlights
- Dam tours: the Powerplant Tour and the longer Hoover Dam Tour go into the power plant and inspection tunnels; buy tickets in advance
- Walk across the dam: stand with one foot in Nevada and one in Arizona, with views of the river and Lake Mead
- Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge: a bridge 900 feet above the river with a pedestrian walkway and an overhead view of the dam
- Visitor center: exhibits, a film, and an observation deck
- Winged Figures of the Republic: bronze sculptures by Oskar Hansen, in a plaza with a terrazzo star map of the sky at the time of the 1935 dedication
- Lake Mead: boating, kayaking, swimming, and hiking nearby
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article and official pages for Hoover Dam, released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.
