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Cathedral Gorge State Park

4.7 (49 reviews)

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Slot canyon
Jared N.

Wow wow wow. I came to Cathedral Gorge as a teenager many (too many) years ago. I came back again to explore more and recapture a bit of my youth. It is better than I remembered. Or maybe I was too young to appreciate it before. Anyhow, I had a blast exploring the slot canyons and getting myself into places I probably should have squeezed my chunky butt into. #worth it! I realized my limit when I walked up the creek bed towards Miller Point and saw the stairs leading up to the point. Teenage me maybe could have done it. Mid-age me knew my knees would not make it. Lucky for me I saw a access point for Miller Point from the road. So I hiked to the bottom and drove to the top. Best of both worlds! Pro Tip - When on a road trip, never pass up the opportunity to pee. Unless you are stopping at Miller Point. The view is stunning but the bathroom is nasty.

Quinney H.

Pro-tip: Lincoln County, Nevada is the 7th largest county in the United States, and it has the largest concentration of state parks in Nevada. Cathedral Gorge is right off the Great Basin Highway (U.S. 93)--Nevada's epic scenic byway along the eastern spine of the state--and a great place to start your adventure!

Narrow path
Thuy P.

Before coming here I just saw the pictures on instagram and thought it was beautiful so when i was in Las Vegas. I decided to the a day trip. It's a good 3 hours drive to here. When arrived and learned the history from the visitor center and to find out this place is 10 millions years old that just blew my mind and it made appreciated much more for that to still there thru so many years. Nature has its own way of creating its own art. Those who don't like nature definitely this is not your place. It is completely worth the 6 hours round trip drive from Las Vegas to here. Thanks you for keeping the park for us to visit.

Ana T.

This is a really nice state park in Nevada. It is a long drive from Las Vegas, and it was literally nobody on the road to get here. The rock formations are quite a sight! There are some trails to go on.

Millers trail
Brittany C.

This place is so quietly beautiful and unique. Located just a three hour drive from Las Vegas, this is a great weekend escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. All hikes are short with the longest one being about four miles round tip, but very beautiful. You can explore this whole park in one day. If you do one hike here I recommend millers point for the more higher up views of the formations, that then take you into them. It's only about a mile roo trip but so cool. The camping here is a good price ($15 a night for no hookups of $25 a night with hookups and the is includes your $5 park entry fee). Camping bathrooms were clean and had a shower. Shower did not charge for use; awesome. Bring plenty of food and water as it's in a desolate location.

11.27.20 map with trails info
May A.

Hiking trails and lots of interesting erosion features We visited Cathedral Gorge during the Thanksgiving weekend and we couldn't have picked a more perfect time to roam around the park. With just a handful of cars scattered throughout different sections of the park we were able to traverse in and out of the caves practically just us... no problem on social distancing. The caves (also called slots) taper from wide to narrow and it was fun exploring, trying to fit in the very narrow passageways, and climbing on the rocks... although, we were limited since we didn't have the proper shoes or attire to go on the higher level. These amazing erosion formation of natural slot canyons and spires reminded me of Bryce Canyon in Utah on a very small scale. These are a result of geologic processes from tens of millions of years ago. There are three caves -- Moon, Canyon, and Cathedral (in that order). Enjoy five short hiking trails ranging from 0.2 mi to 3.0 miles. Refer to the park map interpretive sign (photo). Cathedral Gorge State Park is 171 miles northeast from the Las Vegas Strip on highway 93 (approx 2-1/2 hours drive). There is a $5 day use entrance fee per car. We spent two hours in the park. There are 22 sites at the campgrounds and a day use covered picnic area at the Cathedral Slots parking area. The Visitor Center at the park entrance was closed (Covid times). The park isn't very big but it was a fun visit for us... Review #2027

Renee N.

Does Nevada have some of the coolest, unique state parks in the country? Yes we do and this is one of the best ones I have visited. During the shutdown, hubby and I took a day trip to visit this unusual park with its crazy formations and had an amazing day. I had been begging him to go with me for over a year to this park. We arrived at 8:30am and there was no one around. A ranger came up and greeted us and provided some information on the park, we paid our park fee and then we were free to explore. For most of the morning, we had the park to ourselves which was a real treat! In 1935, this became a state park with its geologic formations made from bentonite clay which covers more than 1600 acres. It is located in Lincoln County just outside of Panaca, Nevada. It is really easy to get to right off of Highway 93. We began our exploration roaming through the large and deep slot canyons. Touching the walls with your hand made you realize how delicate these formations are. The clay is hard packed but could also fall apart at any moment. There are also many hidden caves but you must hike up high and low to find them. The slot canyons provide reprieve from the hot sun and you almost feel like you could set up camp inside one. We hiked the entire park from Millers Crossing, to the valley floor. We were just fascinated by all of the formations, and the crooks and crannies of this park. I found myself feeling like we were on another planet as some of the clay formations reminded me of the egg pods from the very first Alien movie. I almost wondered at one point if one was going to open up and grab me!! Ha! Ha! We enjoyed our lunch here at a remote site where it was just us and it was fantastic! This park also offers camping but the campground was closed at the time of our visit. This area warms up to around 95 degrees in the summer and gets very cold in the winter. This park is truly a hidden gem in our great state of Nevada. Do yourself a favor, get outside and check it out!

Steven S.

In looking for adventure within the great state of Nevada, we decided to head up to Cathedral Gorge state park. The hiking here is really amazing and the pictures we posted do not do this location justice. There is camping available. There are 22 camping sites, each with amenities such as shade, grills and tables. The site has electric hook ups, flushable toilets in the restrooms and shower facilities. Please note, we were told camping sites cannot be reserved. There is a ranger station/ regional visitor center with an employee present. Great news, you can bring your fur baby to the park, but they ask the dogs be kept on a leash. This was a great day drip and one we will revisit often.

Great RV sites
Howard B.

There are no reservations for this park. First come gets a spot, arrive after 12 noon you are taking a chance. Best time frame to arrive is 9-11, you can grab a spot as people are leaving. If you are in an RV you will have electricity only. After arriving & securing our site I ran a water hose over to the community water line. I then added water to my fresh water tank to use as needed. You can not stay hooked to water line. No cable or Free WiFi, but out here you need to enjoy the outdoors. The stars are amazing. Very very quite. Showers were clean & water hot. Our spot was level, easy pull through, & RV fit perfectly. Larger RV spots are VERY limited, did I mention get there early? They do have a over flow camping area, no pad, no electricity, no water, but you can still use showers & dump station. In other words you park on the street. ***now enough about the RV park*** The hiking trails are a must do. Spend at least 2 full days here. Hike all the trails, enjoy the slots, see if you can find the rope ladder, enjoy a camp fire, & just enjoy this hidden bucket list item. Rope ladder will require you to really search then crawl through a hole to the rope area. One of my pics shows the hole. You will not regret coming here (well unless you show up late, think I mentioned come early). Hike up the back trail to watch the sunset. Plan the trip when there is no moon to really see the stars. They even have a couple handicap RV sites.

Cathedral Gorge
Cyndi G.

Cathedral Gorge State Park is a little treasure located near Panaca, Nevada. Amazing scenery and a clean campground with showers and toilets. Nice grass and shaded picnic area. The slot canyons are stunning abs easy to walk through. Entrance is $5 for NV plates and $10 for out of state. Camping fees are $15-$20 per night.

Incredible formations ~ everywhere
Ania K.

Just WOW! This place is so unique! Definitely feels like you're on another planet! About 2.5 hours away from Vegas. What you see today began with volcanic activity a very long time ago. The formations reminded me of underground caves I've visited but are located above ground. Some surfaces are hard while others are very soft and break apart to your touch. There's a four-mile loop to hike that you really shouldn't miss. There's also another 1 mile loop that takes you to a very cool lookout point. The slots are the absolute coolest to explore and can get very narrow. It's also amazing to feel the temperature difference the deeper in you explore. If you should find yourself here on a warmer day you'll definitely enjoy the much cooler slot areas. There's a few picnic areas as well and bring your own goods as there's nothing around this place, not even a fast food option. $5 entrance fee & this place is pet friendly. If you enjoy nature this is truly a park that you shouldn't miss and you can be back in town the same day!

Absolutely breathtaking!! This state park was so unique and beautiful. You can view it in one day.

Ashley N.

Absolutely stunning. One of my favorite places I've ever been hands down. The second I got out of the car, I felt like I had traveled to another planet. The rock formations are gorgeous, and there's plenty of cool things to drive/wander around to see! If you make the trek to the area, it's 100000% worth it.

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Nice campground with hookups and even overflow lot. Great views and hiking! Showers & horseshoes.

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Great RV park and beautiful sights to take in with small crowds and easy access and amazing formations

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Review Highlights - Cathedral Gorge State Park

Before coming here I just saw the pictures on instagram and thought it was beautiful so when i was in Las Vegas.

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Anasazi Valley Trail

Anasazi Valley Trail

4.6(10 reviews)
57.3 mi

There are 2 parking lots for the trail, either one of them is fine, no fee is required. First one…read morecomes with brief instructions and maps. It's easy hike with slow elevation. The petroglyphs site is on the rock side or right side, so stay on right side. It's about 3 miles round trip, expect one and half hour. It is fun to explore and search for petroglyphs since there is no signs or indications where these petroglyphs are located. The history of petroglyphs is not as old as I thought, it's about 800-1000 years old. Many petroglyphs are located on cliffs facing by the Santa Clara River. These petroglyphs include abstract and geometric patterns such as parallel lines, herringbone and patterns, as well as figurative patterns such as dancing people and goats. The petroglyphs have spiral patterns, which I think are in memory of their legend ancestor Spider Grandmother. And these dancing people may be worshiping the ancestor. There is a goat head painted very ethereal, it's so beautiful even looks like modern paintings. Although it is introduced that there is an organization-the Land Mountain Research and Conservation Foundation, dedicated to protecting these rock paintings. But these rock paintings are still in their original state, there are no monitoring measures to protect the wind and rain, and there are no markings on the location of the rock paintings. You have to climb up and down to find them. We encountered other tourists who lost their way in finding rock paintings. I truly hope significant measures to take to preserve and label these petroglyphs, maybe more academic research should be done to interpret them.

The Santa Clara River Trail System has an awesome trail which leads to petroglyphs. This trail is…read moreknown as Templ'po'op Petroglyph Trail and you can reach it from Anasazi Valley Trailhead. The trail is 2.9 miles long and takes you through the desert until you finally arrive to the petroglyphs. There are a lot of petroglyphs here which makes sense because Templ'po'op translates to rock writing. To see many of these petroglyphs you must climb around a bit. Some rocks had plenty of petroglyphs on them while some only had one or two drawings. There is really a lot of stuff to see here. On the way back there are some beautiful views. This is a very kid friendly hike. Even climbing around the rocks to see the petroglyphs felt safe.

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Anasazi Valley Trail
Anasazi Valley Trail
Anasazi Valley Trail

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Red Reef Trail

Red Reef Trail

4.9(11 reviews)
68.3 mi

You can use your national park pass to avoid the fee here. You just have to display it on your…read moredash. Maps took us like 2 miles north, then back track to the tunnel to get in. Not sure if that was the best way or not. The parking lot is not huge, and you can't park in the designated camping area spots. There are plenty of picnic tables, probably more than parking spaces. There are at least 20 tables there. There are a few trails to choose from. Very close the parking and campsites is a short 1/4 hike (or shorter) to the dinosaur prints. There is a hike in the other direction to the mini waterfall and pond. Probably about a mile or a little over a mile (1direction). We also found an old almost petrified bristlecone tree (that was neat). We got lucky with the weather for Dec, it was probably about 60 degrees and very nice. I saw that in the summer it can be over 110 so I am glad that we got the nice weather. The red /orange scenery is spectacular and representative of the area, like it is at zion, bryce, snow canyon, pioneer park, etc. We enjoyed a picnic lunch there, and we had a blue bird, a scrub jay, come join us and beg for food. Check out my photos.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ DO NOT FOLLOW THE YELP…read moreDIRECTIONAL MAP TO GET HERE! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ To reach the Red Reef trailhead, take Exit 23 off Interstate 15 S and head east on Red Cliffs Campground Road. The trailhead is located at the campground, which is about 5 miles down the paved road. GPS Coordinates: 37.224794, -113.406300 It is $5 to park your car here in the parking lot, follow directions to the trail. It is a beautiful and easy hike - until the very end. it meanders along a path - then at the end you need to climb some pretty big rocks to see the payoff of the beautiful canyon. We loved this hike. (but were thrown off by the Yelp directions that sent us in an alternate direction.

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Red Reef Trail
Red Reef Trail
Red Reef Trail

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Cathedral Gorge State Park - parks - Updated May 2026

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