Grand Coulee Dam Area - Sights & Attractions

Built from 1933 to 1942, the 550 foot tall dam harnesses the power of more than 6 trillion gallons of water and as the largest hydropower producer in the U.S., providing hydroelectric power to 11 states as well as irrigation to half million acres of arid land. The Grand Coulee can produce 6,809 megawatts of electricity when operating at full capacity. There is enough concrete in the dam to build two standard six-foot wide sidewalks around the world at the equator. The dam blocks the Columbia River and creates Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake which extends 151 miles upstream to the Canadian border.

WillhiteWeb.com - Grand Coulee Sights

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation operates a visitor�s center full of hands on interpretive exhibits. You can also view films about the dam and region. There is also a gift shop and workers available to answer any questions you may have.

Between April and October, you can take a free 50 minute dam tour where you will see the largest turbines in the world. The tour van also takes you across the dam, stopping in the middle to let you out where you can look down the side. Tours are first come, first serve, and follow signs on the east side of the dam.

During the summer, just after dark is a free 35 minute narrated laser light show. The show splashes color across the face of the dam and tells the story of the Columbia River and how its power was harnessed to provide multiple benefits to mankind, including electrical power, irrigation for farming, and recreational opportunities. Pictures are beamed at the height of nearly 300 feet from a distance of 2 to 4 thousand feet away.

Crown Point allows for a great birds-eye view of the dam and how it fits in the surrounding countryside. Take SR174 two miles west of Grand Coulee and watch for signs.

At the base of the dam below the visitors center is a park with lots of room to view the dam and take pictures. At times when the water is pouring over the top of the dam, you can feel the spray of the massive waterfall.

Take an enjoyable walk or bike ride along the 6.5 mile Down River Trail (packed gravel surface). The trail follows the east bank of the Columbia River below the Grand Coulee Dam with scenic views and wildlife observation. Toilets are placed along the trail.

See life in a 1930�s government camp on this walking tour of the historic Coulee Dam. Walk across the Coulee Dam bridge and read the signs about the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam, then walk back on the other side of the bridge reading about the geology of the dam area and the ice age floods. See the machinery used to construct the Dam and the homes and recreation hall used by the builders.