How you can experience it all in one day
When you are in Vegas don’t miss this park!
Two and a half hours north and east of Vegas is an awesome State Park. Cathedral Gorge State Park is full of neat sights, gorgeous hikes, some old ruins and you shouldn’t miss it. We took a day trip during a visit to hike around the Vegas area and we are so glad we did. We almost passed because of the drive but went for it and had a blast.
A quick history of Cathedral Gorge State Park
Cathedral Gorge State Park was preserved as a state park in 1935. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built many of the original picnicking facilities in the 1930’s and are still used today. This land was once home to the Fremont and Southern Paiutes and consists of close to 2000 acres of land. Cathedral Gorge State Park was one of Nevada’s very first state parks. Much of the park consists of soft bentonite clay and when it’s muddy it’s a mess. But lots of fun to explore.
How we explored the park
The Visitor Center is right at the entrance of Cathedral Gorge State Park. We tried visiting on the way into the park and out and it was not open either time. The brochure said that the hours varied in the winter. Not too helpful. We were able to grab a map and brochure on the park so that much was helpful. I was bummed to miss the gift shop for the post cards I always send my little people. This park was not crowded at all. We saw about 10 people all day. Perfect for exploring.
First Stop-Exploring the caves and slot canyons
After you enter the park, you will come to a pay station. There is a self-pay kiosk. It’s $5 for Nevada residents and $10 for others. It’s well worth it. Just past the kiosk there are several parking areas for Moon Caves, Canyon Caves and Cathedral Caves with slot canyons in between. Do NOT miss these. There are so many to explore and it’s a blast. Today was super muddy but we loved it.
Civilian Conservation Core buildings
The Civilian Conservation Core (CCC)was responsible for building so much of the infrastructure in state and national park sites in the 1930’s and beyond. There are a couple neat sites to see in Cathedral Gorge State Park. Make sure to check out the old water tower and the old restrooms. (yes, even the restrooms are pretty interesting) The water tower is just before the Picnic Area near Cathedral Caves and the restrooms are on the other side of the picnic area and you will pass them on the Juniper Draw Loop trail.
Great hiking
We parked in the main parking lot and headed out on the Juniper Draw Loop Trail (using AllTrails) which included the little side trip to the Miller Overlook which offers amazing views of the park. This trail takes you all around the valley of the park and lets you explore the various small caves and crevasses and give you amazing views of the rock formations. With the exception of the Miller Overlook there is not any elevation, and the trail always has something beautiful to look at. You don’t want to miss this trail and it’s great for kids.
1800’s Bullionville Cemetery Trail
If you like exploring old cemeteries you can check out this cemetery from the 1800’s. It’s a very quick trail up to the cemetery which has great views of the area. It starts at the Visitor Center. We enjoy exploring old cemeteries and this was interesting mostly from the point that there are literally only a couple actual markers left. Since they used wooden markers back in the 1800’s the originals are long gone. There were a few that were more recently replaced but only a couple. It’s still worth checking out though.
A few more things……
When in the park please remember to stay on the trails. They are well marked. Plants, animals, fossils, and artifacts are protected by state and federal law. Pets are welcome but need to be on a leash less than 6 feet. Please leave NO trace. That means you can’t add graffiti to the slot canyon walls etc. It also means don’t leave your trash. This includes orange peels and apple cores. Why is that one so hard for people to understand? I see peels and cores everywhere I hike. Leave no trace means no one should know you were there.
Driving from Vegas
If you are coming from Vegas, it will take you 2 1/2 hours to reach Cathedral Gorge National Park. Once you leave the city there are very few services along the way. Make sure you have gas. On the way home we stopped for dinner in the small town of Caliente, NV and had a great dinner at the Sidetrack Restaurant. It was quite tasty, and I recommend it.
Thanks for exploring with us!
I hope you found some great info in this short blog on our great day. This is a hidden gem for sure and I would recommend you take a trip to visit if you are in the area. I would love it if you could like and share this blog and please follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and X. Check out my past blog posts here.
Keep exploring,
Stephanie
I enjoyed your blog. Nevada is one of 3 states I have not been to. Lord willing we may check it out next year.
Thanks so much. Lots of beautiful things to see here.