Welcome to the Hoover Dam Tour from Las Vegas
Visit the mighty Hoover Dam not as a tourist, but as an expert! This self-guided driving tour leads you from either Las Vegas or Arizona to the Hoover Dam and reveals the dramatic story behind its construction along the way. Discover a tale of desperation, high-flying acrobatics, and sheer human ambition as you drive. Then, walk along the dam itself and admire this amazing feat of engineering up close!
About the Tour
Your Hoover Dam Tour from Las Vegas begins right on the Vegas Strip. As you cruise through the Las Vegas Valley, you’ll get a glimpse into the city’s appropriately Wild West beginnings, from its start as a humble rail town to its early days as a rowdy gambling den. You’ll also find out how the Great Depression and the Hoover Dam changed the city forever.
Once you leave Vegas behind, you’ll get acquainted with the mighty Colorado River—which played the dual role of life-giver and destructive force of nature before the Hoover Dam’s construction. Ever wonder what it took to tame such a powerful force? You’ll find out here!
Then, get to know the big names behind the Hoover Dam project, like Frank “Hurry Up” Crowe and the Six Companies. Plus, learn how the water from the dam was intended to be distributed… and how that’s changing today.
Next, you’ll arrive in Boulder City, one of the state’s newest cities, and one created exclusively for the construction of the Hoover Dam. As you cruise through this unusual town, you’ll hear about a dramatic standoff between the dam’s builders and the Six Companies, as well as the truth behind the brutal working conditions the laborers suffered under.
After that, you’ll reach Lake Mead Viewpoint, offering stellar views of the artificial lake created by the Hoover Dam. Then you’ll hear how workers actually built the dam, from the daring feats of the high scalers to the genius engineering that went into pouring the concrete.
If you’d like to hike the route of old railroad tracks, you can do that next at the Historic Railroad Hiking Trail. Then, continue on to Lakeview Overlook, another fabulous spot to take in the scenery and snap some pictures of Lake Mead.
As you approach the dam itself, you’ll have the option to stop at Boulder Dam Bridge Overlook for the best view of the Hoover Dam you’ll find anywhere. Then, you can choose whether to drive across the dam or park and walk along the rim yourself!
Finally, you’ll arrive at the Hoover Dam Lookout on the dam’s far side, and hear what this dam means for the present and future of the southwest. Your tour concludes here.
Hoover Dam Timings
Hoover Dam: Open to the public daily from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (PST).
Hoover Dam Visitor Center:
Open daily 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day). Doors close at 4:15 p.m.
Parking Garage: Open 8:00 a.m. – 5:15 p.m. $10.00 parking fee.
Starting Addresses
From Las Vegas: Bellagio Fountain, 3600 South Las Vegas Blvd
Alternate Start Address from Las Vegas: 5100 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89119
From Arizona: 20606 US-93, White Hills
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Tour Map
What You'll See
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Welcome
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Las Vegas Valley
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The McWilliams Townsite
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Party City
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A City Worth a Dam
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The Mighty Colorado
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Colorado River Compact
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The Six Companies
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Boulder City and Ragtown
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No City Left Behind
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Redirecting the Colorado
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Fear and Loathing in Boulder City
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Welcome to Boulder City
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Don't Look Down!
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Lake Mead View Point
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Building the Dam
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Historic Railroad Hiking Trail
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Becoming the Hoover Dam
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Lakeview Overlook
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Bridge Overlook
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Powering the Southwest
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Remembering the Fallen
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Water Wars
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Hoover Dam Lookout
Preview the Tour
Historic Railroad Hiking Trail Audio Story
Hoover Dam Lookout Audio Story
Tour FAQs
The Hoover Dam was constructed during the Great Depression. The dam wasn’t completed until 1936, five years after construction began in 1931. Across the Black Canyon and the Colorado River, the dam was constructed. Hoover Dam is named for Mr. Herbert Hoover, the Nation’s 31st president.
Absolutely YES! It is one of the engineering marvels of the world. If you are in Las Vegas and looking for a day trip then a drive to Hoover Dam is an absolute must.
Hoover Dam in spring: This is the most popular time to visit. Also, Hiking season officially begins thanks to the arrival of pleasant weather and beautiful spring wildflowers.
Hoover Dam in summer: If it’s water activities you’re looking for, with the picturesque mountains surrounding you, this is the time to come.
Hoover Dam in fall: This is another great season, and a very popular one for camping.
Hoover Dam in winter: Winter sunsets are simply spectacular here. So this is a popular season for photographers, bikers and campers.
Hoover Dam is about 2 hours from the Grand Canyon West Rim, and about 4 hours from Grand Canyon South Rim. While you could do both in a single day, we highly recommend splitting your tour over two days.
Hoover Dam is in Nevada, close to Boulder City. However, a ton of tourists from Las Vegas make a beeline for Hoover Dam as it makes for a good day-trip.
It was the tallest dam in the world at the time it was built. Its base is as thick as two football fields are long.Boulder City was built solely to house the 5,000 workers employed to build the dam. One of the world’s largest artificial lakes, Lake Mead, is impounded here. It stretches for 115 miles (185 km) upstream.
The dam serves multiple purposes, including preventing flooding and sedimentation, generating hydropower, irrigating crops, and providing drinking water. It is also a major sightseeing destination. Also, as per reports nearly 30% of the energy created by the dam is sent to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California with 23% going to the state of Nevada and 19% going to the state of Arizona.
The average high temperatures in April, May and June are 80 – 98 degrees Fahrenheit. The average high temperatures in July, August and September are 89 – 103 degrees Fahrenheit. The average high temperatures are 57 – 69 degrees Fahrenheit.
Non-commercial photo-taking and filming are permitted on tour routes and in public areas. All visitors to the Visitor Center are required to enter the facility through a security checkpoint. Pets are not allowed anywhere on site. (service animals are permitted).
Visitor services at the Hoover dam are kid-friendly, making it a perfect destination for a day trip with the family.
Additional Information
Lifetime Validity
Changing travel date? No worries! All individual tours come with lifetime validity.
Works Offline
The tour works offline, so you do not need your phone network to enjoy the tour. However, we suggest you download the tour on WiFi at your home, hotel, visitor center, etc., before heading out for a completely immersive experience.
Not an Entry Ticket
This is not an entry ticket. Please visit https://www.recreation.gov/ for more info on entry/admission tickets.
Not a Car Rental
We do not provide car rental services. You must arrange for a car yourself. Our self-guided driving audio tours will work in any car via an aux cable or Bluetooth.
How many tours should I buy?
Since this is a driving tour, we suggest you buy one tour per car for the best experience.
What do we do?
Simply put, Action Tour Guide is an audio guide, map, and tour book – all in one app! We are a GPS-enabled app-based tour that narrates information based on your location right on your phone. You can experience our driving and walking tours at your own pace and literally at any time of the day!
3 - 5 Hours
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