Grand Coulee Dam

Description: Grand Coulee Dam is a massive dam that impounds the Columbia River to Franklin Delano Roosevelt Lake. It is a gravity dam with a crest length of nearly 1mi. Next to Hoover Dam, Grand Coulee Dam is the most famous dam in the United States. The dam was put into operation in 1941 and serves for irrigation and power generation.

Our rating: The dam is huge and very impressive. We passed it in 1998 on our way from Glacier NP to North Cascades NP. The dam may not be worth a big detour, but if you're in the area, it's well worth a stop.