SHASTA LAKE, Calif. – The Bureau of Reclamation will begin free summer tours at Shasta Dam starting Saturday, May 26, 2012. Tours include an elevator ride down inside the dam, where guides discuss the construction, history and purpose of the project. The tour also visits the powerplant to view California’s largest hydroelectric generating station.

Daily tours last about one hour. Tours start at 9 a.m., 10:15 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 2:15 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to arrive 30 minutes before the tour time and check in at the Shasta Dam Visitor Center to receive free tickets. Tours are “first come, first served” and a maximum of 40 people are allowed on each tour. Free parking is available.

No bags of any kind; electronic devices, such as music players; or weapons, including small pocket knives, are allowed on the tour. However, cameras and cellular telephones are allowed.

The Visitor Center is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. A free video version of the tour is available in the auditorium, along with displays and exhibits explaining the dam’s construction history. The Discover Your Northwest Gift Shop is also located at the Visitor Center.

Shasta Dam is located about 10 miles north of Redding, California. Exit at Shasta Dam Boulevard (exit 685) off Interstate 5 and drive west six miles to the dam.

Group tours are available for civic organizations, schools and other organized groups. For more information, please contact the Shasta Dam Visitor Center at 530-275-4463 or visit www.usbr.gov/mp/ncao/shasta/.