The Colorado River is a place of adventure. At 1,450 miles from end-to-end, it’s only the fifth longest river in America. Yet countless travelers have experienced its waters, whether braving the whitewater rapids at Breckenridge or rafting the smoother stretch that flows from the Hoover Dam downriver to Willow Beach in Arizona.

Lake Mead Recreation Area has a reputation for diverse landscapes and activities. More than seven million people visited the site last year, attracted to the sparkling blue lakes, mountains, canyons and sandstone cliffs spread across 1.5 million acres. Visitors can also tour inside Hoover Dam, or get a close-up look from the waters of the Colorado River on our Black Canyon Raft Tour. The 3-hour trip takes guests from the base of Hoover Dam through beautiful Black Canyon to Willow Beach, a little over 11 miles downriver.

There’s more to Nevada than casinos and showgirls. Just 40 minutes southeast of Sin City you’ll find one of America’s major landmarks: Hoover Dam. Built in the early 1930s, the massive dam was intended to control flooding of the Colorado River and provide power to the growing population in the Southwest. Today, the dam generates enough power to serve 1.3 million people.

Hoover Dam is the most visited dam in the world, attracting around 7 million travelers each year. It provides water to neighboring states and hydroelectric power to more than a million residents. It’s also pretty impressive to look at.