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Home » Blog » Travel Day » Day 10 – Hoover Dam

Day 10 – Hoover Dam

December 24, 2009 by Darlene 4 Comments

As the winds had now died down, we were cleared for leaving.  Rob wanted to go on the tour of the Hoover Dam so that was our first stop.  When entering the dam area, vehicles have to go through a security check point and they stop all RVs and do a search of the underneath compartments, and inside.  We did that, no problems, and they security guard told us that RV parking was lot #13.

We passed that lot and it was too tight a turn and small for the RV and car, so we kept going.  #14 was just a roadside turn out and was completely empty.   Initially we stopped there but Dar wasn’t happy parking on a slant like that so we decided to go up the hill one more lot.

RV going over Hoover Dam

At that particular lot, Rob couldn’t make the turn and had traffic piled up behind us – so onward we went.  We soon realized that was the last parking lot (or first if you come in from the AZ side) and there was nowhere to turn a big rig around to go back.  Now we passed out the security on the other side and were soon 5-6 miles past the dam.

Dar knew Rob really wanted to take the dam tour, so suggested he pull over on a wide shoulder, unhook the car and take it back there, while she waited in the RV.  That’s exactly what he did.

Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam

Two hours later, Rob returned, after having taken the Power Plant tour (was a 2 hour wait for dam tours) but he seemed satisfied with that.  Next stop Kingman, AZ.

Arriving in Kingman about 5:30pm (we gained an hour coming into AZ from NV) we wisely decided to stop at Safeway and get food for tonight and tomorrow as stores may not be opened and we’re pretty much out of fresh items.  The store closed 10 minutes after we left, so our timing was impeccable.

We successfully found the Zuni Village RV Park, but as expected the office was closed for the holidays already.  I’m actually surprised by the self-serve nature of many of these parks.  If you arrive after 6pm you just park where you find a spot and they trust you’ll register and put your money in the slot, even if you leave before the office is opened.

The night manager that checked us into our very first park in Great Falls, MT said he is just a guy that lives there and noticed many people leaving without paying so they appointed him night manager.  But I wonder how many parks lose money because of this honesty approach??

We spent Xmas Eve pretty much unaware of the holiday going on around us.  People keep wishing us Merry Xmas and we’re like “oh yeah, it’s the holidays”.   Dar did miss being at her mom’s house for her annual open house though.

***things we saw – a road runner, and some young bighorn sheep.  Finally, some wildlife!!!

Lessons learned:

That when you have a parking place for the RV at the Hoover Dam, go with it and don’t second guess it cause there’s no going back.

Filed Under: Travel Day Tagged With: arizona, hoover dam, kingman, motorhome, RV

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. John Cogovan says

    June 15, 2010 at 4:19 pm

    While visiting Hoover Dam, you should have taken a trip to the SKY WALK area. A horse shoe shaped glass walk that took you out 40 over the western grand canyon. We did this wonderfull trip in July of 2008 and would go back again.

    Loved your blog and your trip.

    We are from Buffalo, NY area……………….

  2. Rob says

    June 15, 2010 at 4:30 pm

    Thanks John. We were aware of the glass horseshoe shaped viewing area over the Grand Canyon. We learned from other photographers that we were not allowed to take our camera’s out onto it… so chose to make other plans.

  3. Darlene says

    June 15, 2010 at 11:16 pm

    That and we entered from the east side and would have been a real stretch to do that on the same day.

  4. Darlene says

    October 19, 2010 at 5:12 pm

    FYI for all Young Snowbirds readers: Road Trip calendars for 2011 are now available on my site. I had so many images and requests to have them that I have created a calendar of some of my favorites from the road. You can see all the images in the calendar and order one on my photography blog at: http://www.herviewphotography.com/2010/09/30/road-trip-2011-calendars.html

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