Page 16 - Spring 2014 magazine

and complete the link between the Union Pacific Rail-
The construction of the Hoover Dam project
brought many challenges to Six Companies, Inc.,
contractors for the project. One very important chal-
lenge was how to get the material needed for such a
monumental undertaking to this very remote part of
Nevada and Arizona. The Union Pacific Railroad
constructed a line from Las Vegas to the new Boul-
der City that was being built to ac-
commodate the hundreds of workers
that were needed for the project.
However, there was no way to get
the material from there to the dam
site. Enter the Federal Government.
The Department of Reclamation
would oversee a rail line from Boul-
der City to the construction site. In
1931 a contract was awarded to the
Lewis Construction Company to dig
five tunnels through a ridge of vol-
canic rock so that the new railroad
line could maintain the needed grade Leading you on...
Page 16
way and the dam. Working around the clock, Lewis
Construction completed the five huge tunnels (18’ X
27’) in just five months.
This section of railroad was used to haul most of the
material required for the construction of the dam. Some
sand and gravel needed for concrete on the lower por-
tion of the dam was brought from the Arizona side of
the canyon. In 1961, the last of the generators were
brought to the dam powerhouse and the tracks were
removed after that
event.
Today, the Railroad
Tunnel Trail is a popu-
lar destination for hik-
ers, runners and bicy-
clists. The slight grades
allow visitors to enjoy
the out-of-doors and
spectacular views of
Lake Mead without too
much effort.
View of Lake Mead from the trail
To visit this site, drive Photo by Paul H. Rippens
to Boulder City and take Highway 93 toward the dam.
Exit at Lakeshore Scenic Drive and you’ll find a park-
ing area, restroom and trailhead on your right. You
can’t miss the trail as there are always
many visitors to the site. The first tunnel is
about one mile from the trailhead and the
others are close behind. If you only want
to see the tunnels, the round trip through
the five tunnels and back to your car is
about five miles. You can add another cou-
ple of miles to your hike by continuing to
the visitor center at Hoover Dam before
returning to your vehicle.
This is a great morning hike and is very
refreshing in the fall and spring. It can get
pretty warm during the summertime, so
keep that in mind. Dogs are welcome but
Photo by Paul H. Rippens
must be kept on a leash.