Hoover Dam Trips From Vegas
If you agree the new Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge is impressive from the ground, wait until you fly over it. The twin-rib concrete arch structure is the largest of its kind in the U.S., and makes aerial tours to the area a “must-do” for Las Vegas travelers.
The official name of the 4 million bypass is the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, and it’s massively huge. Take a look at these factoids:
1. The span of the arch is 1,060 feet
2.The bridge is 1,900 feet long
3.The bridge rises 900 feet across the Colorado River
Located 1,500 feet south of Hoover Dam, the bridge spans Black Canyon and serves as the connecting link between the Nevada and Arizona approach highways. There’s a pedestrian walk on the bridge. It can be accessed on the Nevada side as you go to Hoover Dam. Views of Hoover from the bridge are nothing short of terrific. Other visitor amenities include a parking lot, trail, and interpretive plaza.
The Hoover Dam Bypass was developed to protect visitors to the dam and to relieve traffic congestion. The old two-lane highway is steep and twisting and posed a substantial threat to guests and dam facilities. It was also overwhelmed with traffic: As much as 15,000 trucks and cars crossed the dam daily. That traffic will now be re-routed to the bridge, with the top of the dam only available to pedestrians.
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Las Vegas air tours are the most exciting way to experience the full scale of the bridge and the dam. Here, I list the types of air tours available and what you can expect:
1. Helicopter flights. On the way, you will fly over Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the U.S., and then enter Black Canyon, where you’ll hover over the bridge and the dam. Flights use the EcoStar 130, a deluxe helicopter that boasts stadium-style seating, wraparound windshields, and Fenestron quiet-ride rotor technology. Includes hotel pick up and drop off. Tour duration: Three to four hours. FYI: Helicopters fly at lower altitudes than airplanes.
2. Plane. This tour follows a similar route as the helicopter tour but continues on to Grand Canyon West, home of the Grand Canyon Skywalk. The return gives you another opportunity to see the bridge. These flights are done aboard a fixed-wing aircraft. These planes come with over-sized viewing windows, pre-recorded tour narration, and large, climate-controlled cabins. Includes free hotel shuttle service. Tour duration: 5.5 hours.
3. Bus tour with helicopter ride. Includes guided tour of dam (inside and out), plus full access to the visitor’s center, exhibit areas, observation deck, movie room, and turbine room. Transfer to an EcoStar 130 helicopter for stellar views of the bridge and the dam. Free hotel shuttle service is included. Total tour time 3.5 hours.
Let’s Go!
The Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge, officially known as the Mike O’Callagahan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, is an absolute must-see if you are visiting Las Vegas. Construction of the bridge started in 2005 and wrapped up in October 2010 and is already being regarded as one of the millennia’s most prestigious engineering projects. Epic in scale, the bridge is best experienced from the air. There are a variety of excellent Las Vegas tour operators who provide air and ground tours that do the bridge justice. But book online in advance: The bridge is Las Vegas’ newest natural attraction and Hoover Dam tours are selling out fast.
Travel writer Keith Kravitz reviews Las Vegas tours and recommends this list of affordable Hoover Dam tours from Vegas.
