Journey To Hoover Dam and Lake Mead

 

We visited Hoover Dam, an international monument that is one of the wonders of the modern world.  This modern marvel is not that easy to get to but also not that hard.  The surrounding area is quite pristine and quiet.  

How to Get There
Best way is to stay in Las Vegas or one of its suburbs such as South Edge or Silverado Ranch.  The closest of the suburbs would be the area known as Henderson in the southeastern part of the Las Vegas metropolitan.  From Vegas it is a 37 mile drive to the edge of Hoover Dam.   Henderson is a bit closer at about 30 miles.  You have two choices.  You can take the older but shorter route with Highway 93.  This road has some up and down terrain and it takes you through Boulder City.   Of course you can stay in Boulder City but it has a lot less accomodations.  From Boulder City, it is only 10 miles away.  Alternativy you can take the 11 Freeway that is also known as the Boulder City bypass. This route is about 3 miles longer but a lot faster speed wise.  It takes you on a bowl shaped path south of Boulder City south and east before curving back north to Hoover Dam.  

This is the last leg of the highway into the Hoover Dam area from the Nevada side.  It is much easier to come from the Nevada side.  Park on the Arizona side for free and get extra views of the Dam structures.

As you approach Hoover Dam, there is a security checkpoint where they are looking for explosives, terrorists, and other bad things.  They will ask if you have any guns.  All your windows need to be rolled down.  If they want to inspect your vehicle further they will ask you to pull to the right lane that has a group of officers standing by.  Otherwise you proceed on.  

You will come across a sign and parking lot on the right called Bridge View.  We suggest you stop here as there are bathrooms and a path that goes up the mountain. It's a short path and the end has a small public display for the history of the area.  Then you emerge through bolts on the side of the mountain to a bridge that overlooks the dam.

Walk down on the path on the right so you can see oncoming traffic. It is separated by a short wall from the highway.  Walk down and you can see the bridge below.  Here is a picture of the bridge from Hoover Dam.  

Continue onward in your vehicle by exiting the parking lot and turning right.  You will see a facility on the left called the Dam Rapid Reponses Team.  You are almost there!

You will pass through this tunnel from the Nevada side at the tail end of your drive to Hoover Dam.

Hoover Dam sites on a ravine that borders Nevada and Arizona.  The first parking lot is $10 that is covered and is right next to the visitor center.  If you have the energy, you can drive right across the dam and to the Arizona side pass the first lot which is also $10, but then there are two lots that are free above.  The advantage to going to the free lots is you get a further afield view of Lake Mead on the water side of Hoover Dam and you there is a secret spot to check out the big canyon hole for one of the two dam bypasses for excess water run off.

Here is a view of the Dam head on.

Hoover Dam has powered the growth of Las Vegas and the farming community of Southern California since its creation.  As the populations of those two regions grow along with other communities further upriver utilizing it, plus the recent droughts, the water level has decreased at Lake Mead.  

Check out the water level at the dam.  The water line filled up to the top of the white rock lines in the photo below.  It was like that as far back as 1993.  Now it you can see how far the water line has receded.  The towers you see are the intake towers for the water.  The water line went up tot he bottom of the second rung below the bridges. 

If you park at the two free Arizona side lots, you can snap photos and enjoy the quite on the right side of the dam. And you can get a picture of the dam from the water side.  Descend a set of stairs and cut across this small bridge.  There you can take photos of the start of one of the water bypasses.  Continue on in the left to get to the edge of the Dam.  Before you go to the dam, there is a secluded spot with a crosswalk.  Almost no one crosses the road here because the right side is blocked by mountain from the dam.  The reason you want to cross here is to check out the huge dark hole of the bypass.  They built this crosswalk for a reason.  Don't worry the massive drainage tube is fenced off so you will be safe but you can still take photos of what's below.

Here is what you will see if you cross that far eastern crosswalk to the secluded spot.  It would be a skateboarder's dream but also a deathly nightmare you will exit a 150 feet high hole.  Don't try it.

After this go back across the crosswalk and walk over the dam.  The right side will be the water side, also known as man-made Lake Mead.  The left side is the drop off side where you can see the valley or you can call it a glen below.  It is beautiful especially if you go during the afternoon where the sun reflects off the water with its glimmer.  Down the two sides of the mountains you can see the water bypass drainage that opens up to 6 holes on each side.  With the recent droughts, these have not been used much.

Here is a photo of one of the spillway ends on the side.

There are two crosswalks on the dam so you can check out either side readily. There are also bathrooms on the dam itself. 

Here is a look further afield on Lake Mead behind Hoover Dam.

Go to the Visitor Center through walking down stairs on the right side of the walkway.  There is also a facility of exhibits that is often closed on the right side of the walkway.  You can choose to pay to visit the exhibit and the lookout or you can take a tour.  There are 30 minute and 60 minute tours.  The 60 minute tour is far better and takes you through the whole dam with a guide.  

You get to see the main turbines that generate the hydroelectric power from the falling water as it passes through the collector towers.

The exhibit area in the Visitor Center is well done as it breaks out why build the dam and how the dam was built.  Hoover Dam was built because the Colorado River kept flooding areas such as the Salton Sea and farmlands in Southern California.  It took years of survey by government teams and over a hundred possible sites considered before settling on the current location.  

Hoover Dam is rather quiet as you walk around the area.  It is remarkably serene as you look over the Dam down the ravine.  That is why we recommend you visit it as a Secluded Glen location.  Happy trails!