Hoover Dam Half Marathon

When people think of Las Vegas, they think of the bright lights of The Strip, the plethora of food available at the numerous buffets, alcohol, and letting loose. To the locals, this can become pretty monotonous. Luckily, there are various scenic avenues nearby to temporarily escape the fast pace of Sin City. One of those is Hoover Dam, which played host to a half marathon and 5k fun run this past weekend.

Anybody who has been to Hoover Dam and the Lake Mead recreational area can appreciate the beauty nature has bestowed upon the valley. Imagine having the opportunity to engage in a noncompetitive distance run through the multiple tunnels between the Hacienda Hotel & Casino and Hoover Dam. All while overlooking Lake Mead. Mountain Man Events gave valley residents that chance.

I chose to participate in the half marathon, which is a 13.1 mile run. Now, understand that although I enjoy running, I don’t “train” for events like this. Normally, the furthest I will go in a workout is 5 miles and I allow adrenaline to carry me the additional 8.1 miles to reach the finish line. I ask a lot of adrenaline, I know. Preparation for the “Six Tunnels to Hoover Dam” half marathon was no different. In actuality, I decided to take up the challenge 4 days prior to the event. Hardly enough time to adequately prepare, even if I wanted to!

On race day, a friend and I made the trip from North Las Vegas to the Hacienda. The weather was perfect! We picked up our registration packets and started our stretch. At 8 AM, the half marathon and half marathon relay gun went off and the event was underway. At mile 5, more or less, the course took a turn from a paved road to a dirt trail. This is where it got interesting, but beautiful.

The trail was directly over Lake Mead and went through the tunnels out to Hoover Dam. From this point forward, I continuously looked at the lake. Awesome! Although I had been to the lake before, I had never seen it in this spectacular capacity before. Between miles 9 & 10, we reached the dam and there was a small pathway to oversee it. Then, the route turned around and the course took us back to the finish line.

If you’re not a distance runner, the 5k event also allowed participants to enjoy the scenery. For those who don’t want anything as strenuous as a half marathon, but want more of challenge than the 5k offers, a half marathon relay is available. Throughout the run, I also saw families hiking the trail, most of whom had young children, even a few babies as well. So, if running along the trail is not an option to you, a low impact hike along the trail and through the tunnels allows the opportunity to experience one of Las Vegas’ most magnificent sights.

~ Jason


For more information on touring the Hoover Dam visit the Bureau of Reclamation's website HERE.  Or for a unique way to see Lake Mead consider checking out Lake Mead Cruises and enjoy a dinner or brunch cruise while taking in the beauty of the Lake.

You can even check out the ways you can volunteer at St. Jude's Ranch for Children in Boulder City and stop for a bite to eat at the World Famous Coffee Cup in Boulder City which was featured on the TV show Diners, Drive-Ins' and Dives.

There are definitely some great options for unique things to do just a short distance outside of Las Vegas.