Hoover Dam is a ‘must see’ if you’re spending any time in Las Vegas.

It was built during the Great Depression and was originally referred to as Boulder Canyon Dam, even though it is in Black Canyon. The Dam created Lake Mead on the Colorado River, which is the largest reservoir in the United States. It’s neat to remember that we saw the beginnings of the Colorado River when it was barely more than a creek!

The Lake Mead side of the dam

The River continues on

The dam was constructed as a means to control flooding and allocate water to seven states and Mexico. Additionally, it provides power to Arizona, Nevada, and California. The Dam paid for itself long ago by selling electricity and remains fully self funded for its entire operating budget. Unfortunately, the water levels have been decreasing for decades and the amount of electricity is diminishing. Currently, the level of Lake Mead is down about 100 feet and it is estimated that if the level drops another 35 feet, it will cease to be able to generate power.

We decided to take a fully guided tour which takes you through many of the tunnels and goes to a depth of 500 feet! Luckily, we didn’t have to take the steps – known as the Stairway to Heaven, or Hell, depending on which way you were going! We had 2 great tour guides and felt this tour was well worth the $30 price tag.