Coolidge Dam is located about 2 hours East of Phoenix or 2.5 hours North of Tucson. On your way to the dam you will pass through the old mining town of Globe, AZ. I recommend taking a quick drive through the downtown historic block while you are passing through. If you come through at breakfast or lunchtime (before 2PM), I recommend eating at La Luz Del Dia at N Broad St. and E. Mesquite St. just East off of Highway 60 (W Ash St.).
I found the Coolidge Dam particularly interesting because I have never seen a dome and buttress dam before, I am use to the traditional style arch-gravity dam as you see at the Hoover Dam or Roosevelt Dam. It was constructed between 1924 and 1928 at a cost of $10 million (over $120 million in 2021).
The dam is named after United States President Calvin Coolidge and dedicated by him on March 4, 1930. The engineer was Herman Neuffer and much of the construction was done by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, who are the current owners. As the dam controls flow of the Gila River it forms the San Carlos Lake pictured below:
The San Carlos Lake has approximately 158 miles of shoreline. The San Carlos Lake is stocked periodically with fish and after winters with average or above average rain it is one of the largest lakes in Arizona. Both the lake and dam are located on the 3,000 square mile San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation. Thus, access could be restricted during times of COVID-19 and you will need to purchase a permit even when it is open.
At the time of this writing the fee was $10 per day. You can contact the San Carlos Recreation and Wildlife Department at 928-475-2343. You can also check their website here.
As you drive across the bridge, you can enjoy some awesome 1920's architecture in the lamp posts shown below:
Like most dams, the Coolidge Dam did have a hydroelectric power station at one point, but flood damage in 1983 rendered the station inoperable. Plans to repair the station were scrapped when deemed infeasible.
Later, in 1988, the Bureau of Reclamation determined the dam needed modifications to prevent failure in the event of an earthquake or major flood. The earlier flood had topped the dam and caused erosion to the abutments and buttresses. In 1991, reinforcement work was started and completed in 1995 at a cost of $46.5 million.
Google Maps location and directions: