Glen Canyon Dam
4.6(2.0K)google
4.7(54)yelp
Dam
Overview
An engineering masterpiece standing at a staggering 710 feet above the rushing Colorado River, this concrete arch-gravity dam played a critical role in taming the wild western waterways and generating massive hydroelectric power. Visitors can enjoy sweeping panoramic views from the modern Carl Hayden Visitor Center, join guided inside structural tours, and learn how this controversial development reshaped the ecology and water management of the American Southwest.
Practical Info
Suggested Duration1-2 hours
Best TimeVisitable year-round; it's recommended to go in the morning, when the sunlight fully illuminates the dam's magnificent front and the canyon river channel below, for excellent photography light
Getting ThereLocated on US-89 northwest of downtown Page, right next to the Glen Canyon Bridge spanning the canyon. The visitor center has a very ample free parking lot
Travel Tips
- This is a magnificent concrete arch dam that dams the Colorado River and successfully created America's second-largest man-made lake (Lake Powell); at 710 feet tall, it is a milestone in U.S. hydraulic-engineering history
- Next to the dam is the well-equipped Carl Hayden Visitor Center, where you can not only overlook the dam through panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows but also see a very exquisite miniature model of the dam's operation
- If you're interested in hydraulics and architecture, you can sign up at the visitor center for the Dam Tour, where a professional guide takes you by elevator deep inside the dam and the power-generation room
Reviews
Positive
- The dam is extremely majestic and magnificent; standing on the iron bridge beside it and looking down would trigger anyone's fear of heights! The visitor center is well air-conditioned, and the educational exhibits are easy to understand—great for bringing kids to learn and have fun
- A very stunning human engineering marvel that perfectly tames the wild Colorado River. It's very convenient to stop by on the way, and the dam, iron bridge, red rock, and blue sky framed together are very photogenic
Heads up
- If you miss the interior tour times and only look from outside, it's basically just a big concrete wall, which people uninterested in hydraulic engineering may find a bit dull