We've been over Hoover Dam many, many times over the years, and each time we've sworn that we would stop and take the tours and get to know the dam a bit better. Finally, on our way home from a backpacking trip to Havasu Canyon, we had the time and the interest.

After our stay on the south rim of the Grand Canyon we finally had to head home. We headed south from The Canyon to Williams, where we picked up Interstate 40 west to Kingman. In Kingman we headed northwest on Highway 93. This road has improved considerably since I first drove along this route in 1980. Most of its length is now four lanes and, in spite of what the signs say, there is at least one gas station along the length between Kingman and Hoover Dam.

Inspection Station

Since 9-11 there has been a Homeland Security check point a couple of miles east of Hoover Dam. We had to stop and open the back end so that the officers could take a quick look at our luggage to make sure we weren't planning to blow up the dam. We had no issues and our stop lasted no more than maybe one minute.

Reservoir

From there the road narrows to two lanes as it enters the tight curves leading to the dam. As usual, the dam area was packed with tourists and their cars. Parking on either side of the dam is no longer free, but that doesn't seem to help the congestion in the area. We could not stop anywhere, so I took a couple of quick photos through the window as we drove across the top of the dam. The reservoir is way down because of the drought and draw down, and I wanted to get a good shot of the "bathtub" ring along the sides. Of all the times that I've been across the dam, I have never seen this reservoir this low. In fact, I have seen it so full that the water was pouring over the spillways. It looks strange, with the two intake towers so exposed. You can really get a good idea as to how tall they really are.

Bypass Bridge

There were tourists everywhere. It was like a zoo. We were glad that we had not planned on stopping at this location on this trip. I had thought that maybe we could find a temporary spot to park so that I could take a few photos of the bypass bridge that is under construction over Black Canyon and above the dam. It is pretty darn spectacular, and will be an impressive tourist attraction itself once it is completed. There are now spans coming from each side, with the beginnings of the support arches being built from below. The concrete support pillars look so fragile and are more like stilts than buttresses. But one must assume that the engineers know what they are doing. Fingers crossed for the first vehicle to drive across, huh?

Traffic

1:35 p.m.
As we climbed out of the canyon on the Nevada side of the dam we noticed that it was 43 degrees outside. Still on the cool side. All of the Grand Canyon snow had melted off the truck.

We also noticed that there was a backed up stream of cars coming into the area from the west, from Las Vegas. The single lane of traffic was backed up all the way to Boulder, a distance of about five miles. It made us wonder if there was some sort of event going on at the dam, but we suspected that it was just a normal tourist day in the holiday season. I just can't imagine that there are enough parking places for all of those cars. If people were just heading down the road toward Kingman they would have a long, frustrating wait.

From there we continued on into the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.

Inspection Station

8:19 a.m.
About seven miles south of the dam we had to stop for a Homeland Security inspection station. It was 79 degrees out. I had to get out and open the back of the truck so that the officers could see what was inside. No sweat. But it could have been a bit of a delay if there had been more traffic.

Hoover Dam

8:31 a.m.
We arrived at Hoover Dam and stopped at one of the pull outs above the dam to take a look at the low water. This is the lowest that we've ever seen the water in this reservoir. We could see way down the intake towers, which seems really strange. We have seen the reservoir when there was so much water that it was pouring over the spillways. Now the spillways are high and dry.

After that we drove on down into the canyon and crossed the dam to the Nevada side. We drove into the multi-level parking garage, paid our $7.00 to park, and found a nice spot on the third level. From there we walked down the stairs to the main level, used the restrooms, got a drink of cool water, then walked over to the Visitor Center.

We were a bit early, because the tours don't begin until 9:00 a.m. So we stood around talking with the others waiting for the first tour.

11:04 a.m.
We were finished with the tour and back at our truck. The price for the tour is $11.00 each. A woman waiting with us had given us a $1.00 discount coupon, so we only paid $10.00 each.

The tour starts with a brief talk by a guide, then a ten minute movie. From there they took us into elevators down inside the dam to see the turbines. Then we went down another level to see the water intakes. At each point they gave us a little talk. Then back onto the elevators and back to the surface, where we got to explore a small museum with interactive exhibits. Then we climbed up to the observation deck, where we got some great views of the canyon and the dam operations. From there we walked down to the pathways along the top of the dam, where we looked around at the old structures. It's all quite amazing and interesting how back in the Depression Era they took the time to incorporate artwork and amazing design into such a utilitarian structure. I think we need more of that today.

We could also see where the new suspension bridge over the canyon will be assembles. There is a lot of construction work on both sides of the canyon. That should help congestion on the dam.

In the end, I don’t know if the tour was worth the money. A lot of what was included is already free. You just can't get into the exhibit hall and down into the dam. But tourists can walk across the dam and see many of the other surface sights. But Anne has only been down inside a dam a couple of times, and I’d always wanted to go down inside of this one myself. Another thing we can check off of our list.

See also our notes on the Lake Mead National Recreation Area.