Hoover Dam

Keeping watch over the Colorado River, Hoover Dam remains one of the West’s most visited attractions. Built in 1936 during the Great Depression, this modern marvel provides power and flood control in the Southwest and forms Lake Mead, one of the largest reservoirs in the country. Whether arriving by tour bus or car, the dam is easily accessed from Las Vegas or Boulder City and offers diverse experiences for visitors looking for breathtaking vistas or fascinating tours.

5 Facts About Hoover Dam

• Engineering Giant: Standing 726 feet high and 1,244 feet wide, Hoover Dam is the second-tallest dam in the U.S.
• Massive Reservoir: Hoover Dam created Lake Mead, which remains the largest reservoir by volume in the U.S. when full.
• Tri-State Powerhouse: The dam’s towers provide hydroelectric power to 1.3 million residents across Nevada, Arizona, and California.
• Depression-Era Achievement: Built between 1931 and 1936, the project was a monumental feat of human labor and grit.
• Touch Lucky Toes: Visitors rub the feet of the 30-foot-tall bronze “Winged Figures of the Republic” statues for good luck.

Las Vegas Day Trip to Hoover Dam

Located just 36 miles from the Las Vegas Strip, the drive to Hoover Dam takes roughly 40 minutes via Highway 93 South. While the road is a straight shot, the logistics can be tricky if you don’t plan ahead.

Head out to the dam in the early morning or afternoon and return to Las Vegas at nightfall as the lights of the city cast an electric glow against the brilliant shades of the sunset. Get the details in our Las Vegas to Hoover Dam day trip itinerary.

Things to Do at Hoover Dam

Whether you’re arriving via car, bus, or even a sturdy pair of hiking boots, Hoover Dam is the perfect Las Vegas road trip. While you can head inside the visitor center to see history exhibits or book a tour, there’s just as much to see outside.

Hoover Dam Tours

The best way to get the full Hoover Dam experience is a guided tour. Visitors get to see lesser-known areas and walk in the footsteps of engineering history. 

Tickets for Hoover Dam tours are sold online and in the visitor center, which features exhibits, 1940s-era artifacts, and a rooftop observation deck. If you just want to visit the Hoover Dam Visitor Center without taking a dam tour, admission is $15.

Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge

Don’t forget to marvel at the massive Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge during your visit. Opened in 2010, this was the first concrete and steel composite arch bridge built in the U.S. The bridge—named in honor of soldiers from Nevada and Arizona—towers nearly 900 feet above the Colorado River and spans 1,060 feet. If you’re not afraid of heights, try walking across the bridge for some great photo opportunities of Hoover Dam and the Black Canyon of the Colorado River below.

The Top of Hoover Dam 

For a view you’ll never forget, walk or drive the 45-foot-wide top of Hoover Dam. If traveling by vehicle, note that thru-traffic is no longer permitted (i.e., the drive brings you back to the Nevada side). More than 20,000 cars a day take this one-way trip, so give yourself enough time for security checkpoint inspections and periodic traffic delays.

Outdoor Adventures at Hoover Dam

At Hoover Dam, it’s not just sights worth seeing. There’s plenty worth doing, too: kayaking, canoeing, rafting, and paddleboarding along the Colorado River with outfitters like Hoover Dam Rafting Adventures and Desert Adventures. 

For a bird’s-eye view of Hoover Dam, take to the skies aboard one of several daily helicopter tours with Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters. Keep your eyes peeled for local wildlife, including desert bighorn sheep, the official state animal of Nevada.

Popular hikes abound near Hoover Dam and Boulder City. The Historic Railroad Trail at Lake Mead National Recreation Area features miles of well-maintained, level paths through gigantic tunnels carved from the surrounding mountainside. 

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Alex Honnold Hosts New Travel Series

Alex Honnold is known for free-soloing some of the world’s most impossible climbs—like the 3,000-foot face of El Capitan captured in the Oscar-winning documentary “Free Solo” and, most recently, the 1,667-foot skyscraper Taipei 101 in a Netflix livestream watched worldwide.

But he’s also a Nevadan: One drawn to the state’s wild landscapes and colorful character.

In this five-part series, Alex gets his hands on out-there action, offbeat attractions, and other experiences only Nevada can deliver.

From untouched climbing and backcountry dining to burro-filled towns and motels filled with clowns, follow Alex as he uncovers what the Silver State has in store for him—and you.

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Attractions Near Hoover Dam:   Boulder City & Lake Mead 

Boulder City

Swap the glitz and neon of Las Vegas for the small town, Art Deco charm of Boulder City. Shop cute boutiques, dine at Food Network-featured restaurants, and dive into history and culture at the Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum and the Nevada State Railroad Museum. Boulder City offers a low-key getaway with plenty to see and do.

Lake Mead 

Cap off your dam trip with a visit to Lake Mead National Recreation Area. This body of water was formed when the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation built Hoover Dam on the Black Canyon portion of the Colorado River. Today, Lake Mead covers 110 miles across Nevada and Arizona and offers countless opportunities to fish, boat, or swim on this lake’s placid waters. Farther inland, visitors will find everything from ghost towns to desert bighorn sheep—and plenty of hikes and beachside campsites along the way.