Hoover Dam
The famous Hoover Dam is known around the world. This impressive structure attracts tourists from all over and countless Southwest itineraries include a trip to this historic and monumental structure. Being only a one hour drive from the Las Vegas strip makes the dam a popular side trip from the neon capital of the world.
Most people interested in the dam also have a desire to drive over it but, apart from being able to boast that you drove over the Hoover Dam, the drive doesn’t offer much. Instead, park your car and walk across. Looking over the edge of the dam is disorienting and it’s surprising to see just how contoured and shapely the seemingly featureless monolith really is. On the eastern (Arizona) side, there is an open parking lot and a few overlooks that give you views of the back side (reservoir side) of the dam and the intake towers. On the Nevada side there is a parking garage that charges $10. You are not permitted to park in this garage if you are traveling with a pet. You will be required to drive to the Arizona side to park and someone must remain in the vehicle with the animal (even in the winter). The parking garage is adjacent to the Hoover Dam Cafe, a gift shop, and a small walk takes you to the iconic Winged Figures of the Republic statues. These statues are giant art-deco/ancient-eqyptian-esque sculptures made of diorite and four tons of bronze symbolizing the massive construction undertaking of the dam. The designer, Oskar Hanse, believed the Hoover Dam to be one of the greatest manmade structures of all time, akin to the Pyramids of Giza. To get a view of the face of the dam, stop at Memorial Bridge Plaza on the Nevada side. You will need to climb ~4 flights of stairs (or take the long handicap ramp) through a tastefully designed plaza of concrete slabs and interpretive panels on the construction of the dam to a sidewalk on the bridge. A tall sturdy railing separates you from the canyon 900ft. below. You can walk the entirety of the bridge, but there is a dead end on the Arizona side. It can get quite crowded here so be patient of everyone trying to take their pictures with the dam.
This is a very popular tourist destination, so getting down to the dam could take 30-60 minutes from when you exit the highway. I have seen the lines of cars stretch from the dam all the way up the access road and begin in the right hand lane of the highway itself. You will pass through a security checkpoint on the access road and your vehicle is subject to search by officers and dogs. If you just want to get a glimpse of the bridge, your best bet is on the bridge from Memorial Bridge Plaza. You cannot see the dam from the bridge over the canyon in passenger car. This is a high wind area and the walls of the bridge are purposefully tall. Tall vehicles, such as tractor trailers, are even encouraged to drive in the left-hand lane across the bridge to avoid blow overs.
