Hoover Dam Experience

Staying the night near Hoover Dam allowed us to experience this dam without the crowds and explore the train tunnels used to help build it.

(This is one of our stops on our summer trip to Las Vegas and then driving onto Los Angeles and back. This drive allowed us to see both places out West!)

Driving to Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam is about 45 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip. On our way to Hoover Dam, we stopped in Boulder City, Nevada.

*My son outside the brewery by some former dam equipment.*

Boulder City Lunch Stop

Our lunch stop was in Boulder City. We ate burgers and fries at the Boulder Dam Brewing Co. and had a beer flight. The grounds include part of a large shovel. Boulder City originally was a place for Hoover Dam construction workers to live. There are no casinos in the town since it was paramount that the workers get the job done. Although there are ones outside the city limits.

Hours: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m., Sunday- Thursday; 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., Friday-Saturday

Address: 453 Nevada Way, Boulder City, NV 89005

Boulder City-Hoover Dam Museum

Across Arizona Street and housed in the historic Boulder Dam Hotel is the Boulder City – Hoover Dam Museum. Built in 1933 the hotel accommodated visitors to the Hoover Dam construction project.

The dam was originally called Boulder Dam before being renamed Hoover Dam in honor of former President Herbert Hoover who helped spearhead the project.

The small museum houses a collection of hands-on displays, photographs, oral histories, and artifacts. It talks about the workers who helped build this dam during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Such a large concrete dam had never been built before.

My son liked some of the interactive displays and I liked all the artifacts from that era.

Hours: 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., Daily

Admission: Free

Address: 1305 Arizona Street, Boulder City, NV 89005

The Flying Saucer

Also, up Nevada Way is the Flying Saucer gift shop. My son liked doing the photo op with the spaceship outside of it.

Address:

441 Nevada Way, Boulder City, NV 89005

Hoover Dam Lodge and Casino

Next, we checked into the Hoover Dam Lodge and Casino where we were staying the night. The next day before flying back home we were touring the dam.

The hotel has a casino, restaurants, gift shops, a convenience store across the street, and most of all for my son an outdoor pool.

Address: 18000 US-93, Boulder City, NV 89005

A bird's eye view of the connector trail from the hotel room. — *A bird’s eye view of the connector trail from the hotel room.*

LAKE MEAD HISTORIC RAILROAD HIKE

Early the next morning, around 6 a.m. we woke up to do a hike through the former train tunnels once used to bring supplies to the dam.

In summer you should do this in the early morning before it gets too hot. Also, since the sun has not completely risen it helped to keep it a little cooler. Although you need some light since the trail is steep with drop-offs.

This is an almost three-mile hike on a rocky and gravel surface with 370 feet of elevation gain in a dry desert climate.

*Start of the hike in the early morning before it gets hot.*

Connector Trail

The hotel has a connector to the trail from the parking lot. Look for an opening in a chain link fence on the northeast side of the hotel’s east parking lot.

The trail to the train tunnel trail is to the right.

The trail is rocky so you might want to wear hiking or tennis shoes. I wore sandals and kept getting rocks in them. They worked OK, just closed-toed shoes would not have this issue.

Signs along this trail talk about the wildlife and plants that find their home among these rocky mountains and cliffs.

Then after going downhill I came to the train tunnel trail and went to the right towards Lake Mead. If you went left, you would come to the main trailhead and away from the tunnels.

*Sign shares insight into the different colors of the rock layers.*

Train Tunnel Trail

A sign along the trail talks about the different colors of the rock which are a testament to time. Multi-colored mountains and rock formations are created when rocks formed from ocean deposits are pushed next to those formed in dry lake beds by the titanic forces of earthquakes, faulting, and uplift.

The next sign talks about wildlife such as bighorn sheep, the desert tortoise, or snakes.

Then I came to where they blasted through part of the mountain for an opening.

On the side of the trail, I pass by huge circular concrete plugs used as part of dam construction.

Looking out in the distance I see a huge marina on the lake. The sun is starting to come up over the horizon also.

Train Tunnels

Now I come to my first train tunnel.

*Sign shares information about the construction of the tunnels.*

A sign next to the entrance talks about how the tunnels were dug.

Entering the first tunnel.

*Sign talking about the timbered sections.*

Tunnel 2

I come to Tunnel 2 and at the front talks about the timbered section. The tunnels are unusually large – 18 feet wide and 27 feet high – so trains could carry huge pieces of pipe and construction equipment to the dam site.

Some of the tunnels were reinforced with timbers to prevent fractured rock from falling on the rail cars and workers. A fire destroyed the original timber and the National Park Service stabilized the next three tunnels by restoring timbers and applying “shotcrete” to the walls and ceilings and on rock faces of the portals.

Next, I came to a sign that talks about Boulder City and the Great Depression, and the building of the dam.

Tunnel 3

The third tunnel starts with a lot of timbers above my head.

After this tunnel, I turn around. The next couple are way further ahead and this was all I had time to do this morning before we did the dam tour. Also, it was becoming hot.

The trail is 7.5 miles total out and back

Going Back

This time my view was away from the tunnels with views of a distant hill with a town around it.

I could see our tall hotel peaking through the hills.

Then I was back to the connector trail I now had to go back up to the hotel parking lot.

Final Thoughts

Once you are on the Train Tunnel Trail the hike is mostly level. Just make sure to bring plenty of water with you. It was hot when I was heading back. I would highly recommend doing the walk early morning.

Parking

I used the lot at the hotel. If you park at the main trailhead there is a national park fee of $25.

Trailhead Address: Historic Railroad Hiking Trailhead

VISITING HOOVER DAM

We were able to get a late checkout at the hotel at 1 p.m., which made it easier to head to the dam.

*One of the informational signs at the overlook*

Lake Mead Lakeview Overlook

Next, we turned left onto Nevada Highway 172. Our first stop was the Lake Mead Lakeview Overlook.

Signs talk about what you can see and the different sections of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

I even saw part of the Train Tunnel Trail that went through a large tunnel.

After this stop, we headed to the security checkpoint which was not busy since it was still early morning.

Then we crossed the dam into Arizona and parked at the first free lot on the right. The Nevada and the first Arizona parking lots charge $10 for parking.

*Walking to Nevada across the Hoover Dam.*

Walking Across the Dam

We wanted to walk across the dam so parking here was fine.

First, we passed by the spillway and then onto the walkway on the dam.

Follow the pedestrian walkways here because the road can be busy.

Next, we took in the views of the massive intake towers which were way above water since the lake is low.

Each tower is 395 feet high and each controls one-fourth the supply of water for the powerplant turbines. The four towers contain 93,674 cubic yards of concrete and 15,299,604 pounds of steel.

Built in the art deco style and has reliefs on it on some of the towers. One of the towers once served as a place to get tickets to tour the dam.

In the distance is the Mike O-Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. Before the bridge traffic had to cross the dam.

In the middle, I stopped to look down at the Colorado River far below.

Along the walk, two towers serve as restrooms.

Sculptures

Next, we pass by two sculptures, sadly they were under reconstruction when were there.

The winged figures are 30 feet high. Their shells are 5/8-inch thick and contain more than 4 tons of statuary bronze. Formed from sand molds weighing 492 tons.

Then we came to a plaque dedicated to a dog that befriended the workmen. Tragically, killed in an accident.

A recreation shows a man hooked up to wires to work on the dam.

Then finally we came to the Hoover Dam Visitor Center.

We were here before it opened at 10 a.m. where he had to wait in a short line. Luckily the line went fast even though they have security checks you also have to go through here.

DAM TOURS

There are three different tours: Guided Power Plant Tour, Visitor Center Tour, and Guided Dam Tour.

Guided Dam Tour

This tour is $30 and includes historic tour tunnels and riding the original elevator to the top of Hoover Dam, walking through the inspection tunnels at the center of Hoover Dam, and viewing the Colorado River through the inspection ventilation shaft.

Visitor Center Tour

For $10 you can tour the visitor’s center, and go to an observation deck along with a narrated 3D model of the region’s dams and power system.

I think the best value was ours, I think the Guided Dam Tour was over an hour and was a bit long for the kid.

Our Tour: Guided Power Plant Tour

We did the Guided Power Plant Tour. It is the $15 tour. It takes about 30 minutes and includes a walk through the original construction tunnels, a viewing platform overlooking a 30-foot diameter penstock – feel the vibration created by water rushing through the pipe, and see eight of the commercial generators in the Nevada Powerhouse.

Our Time On the Tour

The Power Plant and Guided Dam Tours start together with us all watching a movie about the building of the dam.

Then we took an elevator to see parts of the dam.

The generators were huge to see, and they were working on one.

After touring around the dam area, the dam group went to the right where you could look into the dam and we headed back up.

To be honest I can’t remember where we all went and what we saw. It is a huge structure and unless I worked there, I would get lost. I think if I went further into the dam it would be the same way.

Museum

Next, we went to the museum in the visitor center

Here we learned more about the workers who built the dam.

This even includes a worker nicknamed “Albam,” who cleaned the latrines, a less glamorous dam job.

You can see surveying and cables or dynamite supplies.

Then more art deco reliefs.

An observation deck allowed for more views of the dam and bridge.

We also checked out a miniature version of the dam.

Heading Back

Next, we walked back over the dam and this time we noticed a plaque, and below it was a marker for the state lines of Nevada and Arizona where you can stand between them.

Looking across the lake you can again see how low it is with a boat dock hanging down along a cliff face.

*White ring created by low water level.*

Then we drove up on the Arizona side for some more views of the lake.

And then back across the dam to the hotel to check out and then to the airport in Las Vegas to fly home.

*Another view of the lake from the dam as it goes into the canyon.*

Final Thoughts

I really enjoyed our stop at the dam and touring it. I would recommend this if you are into history and want to be outside of Las Vegas. It was much more relaxing to stay here. The pool was also much less busy.

Hoover Dam Hours: Open to the public daily from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (PST).

Hoover Dam Visitor Center and Tours:

Open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day). Doors close at 4:15 p.m. The last tour departs at 3:45 p.m.

Address: 81 Hoover Dam Access Rd, Boulder City, NV 89005