Our visit to Lake Mead would have been incomplete without a trip and tour to see the Hoover Dam.  Constructed in the early 1930s as a means of taming the mighty Colorado River, this dam is one of the seven wonders of the Industrial Age.  We opted to pay the $30/person for the “Dam Tour,” which included access to the visitor’s center, tour of the powerplant, and walk through inspection tunnels, and a view out of the ventilation shaft of the dam itself.  We were not disappointed.

With tickets available for this tour only at the visitor’s center proper and the last tour starting at 3:30, we drove the short drive from Lake Mead RV Village to the dam, about fifteen minutes away, mid-afternoon last week.  Our visit began with a short film about the history of the building of the dam, including footage dating back to the 30s.  From there, we headed down the elevator to one of four diversion tunnels built in advance of building the dam.  These tunnels diverted the river’s flow allowing for the construction of the dam itself.

We had a chance to visit the largest hydroelectric powerplant in the world housed at the base of the dam and producing electricity for millions of people.

From there, our group of twenty-four headed back up to the inspection tunnels.

We each had a chance to view out of the ventilation shaft.

Some parts of the tunnels were constructed with tourism in mind and showcase the art deco 1930s very well. 

An elevator ride took us back to the visitor’s center where we walked through the self-guided tour.  We learned a lot about the dam and its construction between the information that our guide gave us and this tour.  The statistics are truly amazing! For more information and statistics, click HERE.

We enjoyed, as anyone can, the views from on top of the dam, looking out at Lake Mead on one side and the view of the river and the Mike O’Callahan and Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge that opened in 2010 to bypass the road at the dam and help the flow of traffic.

A few things to keep in mind for the next time:

• Dam Tours ($30) — Tickets are available from 9 – 3:30 and are sold at the Visitor’s Center only. It is not handicapped accessible and is open to those over 8 years old only.
• Powerplant Tours cost $15 and the last tickets for the day are sold at 3:45. Tickets for the Powerplant Tours are available online.
• Tickets to access the Visitor Center and the self-guided tour are $10 and may only be purchased on site. The Visitor Center is open from 9 a.m – 5 p.m. daily with no admission after 4:15.
• You may visit the walkway across the dam for no charge and it is open from 5 a.m. – 9 p.m. daily.
• If you’re taking a later tour, be sure to visit the walkway and the Visitor Center before so you’re not rushed through this part of your visit.
• Be sure to check the website for any changes to normal tour schedules. All Powerplant and Dam tours were suspended for four days during our visit to the area for maintenance.
• The Dam is closed for visitors on Thanksgiving and Christmas.