Hoover Dam Guided Power Plant Tour

landmark tour

Price
$25 adults, $15 ages 4-16, free for 3 and under (Bureau of Reclamation); $10 garage parking extra
Departs from
Hoover Dam Visitor Center ticketing lobby, Nevada side, after security screening
Age policy
All ages; children 3 and under free. Visitors must be over 16 to tour by themselves.

About

The Guided Power Plant Tour is run at Hoover Dam by the Bureau of Reclamation, the federal agency that operates the dam and its powerplant. The tour walks through original construction tunnels and stops at a platform over a 30-foot-diameter penstock. Reclamation says you can feel the vibration of water rushing through the pipe. It ends with a view of 8 commercial generators in the Nevada Powerhouse.

The powerplant is a U-shaped structure at the base of the dam. Each wing is 650 feet long. It holds 17 main turbines: nine in the Arizona wing and eight in the Nevada wing. Nameplate capacity is about 2,080 megawatts. Reclamation lists average annual net generation of about 4.2 billion kilowatt-hours.

Tickets can be bought online or on site. The longer Guided Dam Tour has been unavailable since August 19, 2026 for elevator repairs, so the Power Plant Tour is currently the only guided option inside the dam.

What to expect

Park in the Nevada-side garage near the Visitor Center ($10) or in the free upper lots on the Arizona side. Follow the Tours signs and take the escalator, stairs or elevator down to the ticketing lobby. Security screening comes first: empty your pockets of metal, get wanded or ask for a pat-down, and have your bags inspected.

The guided group rides an elevator down and walks the construction tunnels to the penstock platform and the Nevada Powerhouse viewing area. Reclamation says the least busy times are 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. and 2:30 to 3:45 p.m. The ticket can be upgraded on site. Tours run from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The last tour leaves at 4:10 p.m. and the doors close at 4:15 p.m.

Good to know

  • Open daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Reclamation may cancel tours without notice and refunds tickets when it does.
  • The tour includes elevator rides and tunnel walks. Reclamation flags this for anyone with claustrophobia.
  • It is accessible to wheelchairs, motorized scooters and strollers. Wheelchairs can be rented in the parking garage for $5.
  • Knives of any size, including pocketknives, are not allowed in any dam building. Sealed bottled water is permitted, but no eating or drinking inside.
  • America the Beautiful and other interagency passes are not accepted. Hoover Dam is self-funded.
  • Pets and comfort animals are not allowed on top of the dam or in buildings. Trained service animals are welcome.

Questions about Hoover Dam Guided Power Plant Tour

How much does the Hoover Dam Power Plant Tour cost?

Reclamation lists $25 for adults and $15 for ages 4 to 16. Children 3 and under are free. Parking in the Nevada-side garage is a separate $10 per vehicle, and the upper lots on the Arizona side are free. Payment is by major credit card or cash; personal checks are not accepted. Interagency park passes do not apply.

What will I see inside?

The tour follows original construction tunnels to a platform above a 30-foot-diameter penstock, one of the pipes that carries water to the turbines. From there you see 8 of the commercial generators in the Nevada Powerhouse. The full plant has 17 main turbines split between the Nevada and Arizona wings, with a nameplate capacity of about 2,080 megawatts.

Can I book ahead, and when is it least crowded?

Yes. Power Plant Tour tickets are sold online through Reclamation's ticketing site as well as at the dam, and they can be upgraded on site. Reclamation names 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. and 2:30 to 3:45 p.m. as the least busy times. The last tour of the day leaves at 4:10 p.m.

Is the longer Hoover Dam Tour an option instead?

Not at the moment. A notice dated August 19, 2026 says the Guided Dam Tour, which adds the inspection tunnels in the center of the dam and a ride up the original elevator, is unavailable until further notice because of unplanned elevator repairs. When it runs, it costs $40, is sold only in person, and does not allow strollers or motorized wheelchairs.

Can I do this tour from Las Vegas without driving?

Yes. Some Las Vegas tour operators include it. Gray Line's Hoover Dam Express (from $96, about 4.5 hours) lists the Guided Power Plant Tour with admission and parking included. Pink Adventure Tours' Hoover Dam Tour ($134 adult) includes it too, and substitutes the memorial bridge and the Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum if Reclamation restricts access to the generator room.

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