Hoover Dam

Starting the Tour
Hoover Dam, Boulder, NV
June 22, 2026

 It was a scalding hot 106 degree day at the Hoover Dam when we visited. Ouch! During our visit to the Las Vegas area, we quickly learned not to touch anything that was exposed to the sun because it was burning hot! This was true at the Dam as well. 

Nevada Generator Hall
Hoover Dam, Boulder, NV
June 22, 2026

Because we were heading home on a 10 PM red-eye, we had time on our last day, after checking out of the hotel at noon, to visit additional sites in the area. Actually, I was looking for things to fill our time and had planned this visit to the Hoover Dam as means to spend a few hours. 

We took the long, one hour, tour and were not disappointed. Until the very end of the tour, we were inside of the Dam or one of the generator halls and out of the sun. I was amazed at the sheer size of the Dam. Larger than life. At the beginning of the tour, where we took the first selfie, the docent pointed out the air intake window where we would subsequently be standing to take the image looking out from the dam. It is about 1/3 the way up the dam on the Nevada side. 

Stairs Leading Up
Hoover Dam, Boulder, NV
June 22, 2026

The passageways were very narrow in places and we had to carefully pass members of the group returning from viewing a portion of the dam. The tour gave us a good sense of the magnitude of the construction project and reminded us that in the 1930's construction planning was done with pencil, paper, and slide rules! I used to be very proficient at using a slide rule. 

Looking out the air intake in the dam
Hoover Dam, Boulder, NV
June 22, 2026

The tour took us to the Nevada generator hall alongside the river and then worked up through the inside of the dam ending on the top. Fortunately, there was an elevator given that the dam is over 700 feet tall.

I was reminded that as part of a naming schism, similar to what we are seeing now, the Hoover Dam was renamed Boulder Dam in 1933. Boulder is the name of the Nevada town that the dam is situated within. Subsequently, the dam was renamed Hoover Dam in 1947. 

While we were at the Dam, we managed to drive across it to the Arizona side. We also walked along part of the topside of the dam. 

Water Intake Towers
Hoover Dam, Boulder, NV
June 22, 2026

The gift store is nicely done with locally themed items. At the end of our tour and time at the Dam, we gained a better appreciation for the impact of the dam in terms of electrical generation capacity and employment opportunities in the area. We got a sense that the Dam is not generating electricity to its fullest capacity. Also, as can be seen in this last image, the lake is low on water although it is not at the lowest level ever recorded since it was filled. 

-- Bob Doan, Tequesta, FL