Cathedral Gorge State Park RV & Campground Guide
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Located in Eastern Lincoln County in Nevada 166 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Cathedral Gorge State Park offers an otherworldly landscape of bentonite clay rock formations. Millions of years ago, volcanic eruptions created layer upon layer of ash in what is now Eastern Nevada. Over time, this ash hardened and then eroded into the shapes you can see today in the park. The spires resemble those of old-style cathedrals often found in Europe, thus the name "Cathedral" Gorge. Established in 1935, Cathedral Gorge is one of the oldest state parks in Nevada and offers numerous outdoor activities like hiking, bird-watching, and horseback riding. Given the park's elevation at nearly 5,000 feet, expect temperatures to be a bit cooler than in the surrounding desert.
Nearby Cities:
Panaca, NV
Pioche, NV
Caliente, NV
Alamo, NV
Spring 27-75 F
Summer 47-94 F
Fall 22-84 F
Winter 16-51 F
RV Resorts & Campsites in Cathedral Gorge State Park
Campground Accommodations
Cathedral Gorge Campground
Water hookup: Yes
Electrical hookup: Yes
Sewer hookup: No
Wi-Fi: No
Pet-friendly: Yes
Max RV length: 60 feet
Other amenities: Picnic tables, grills, shade ramadas, showers, flush toilets, dump station, handicap-accessible sites
Pioche RV Park & Campground
Pioche RV Park & Campground is just a 15-minute drive from the state park and offers RV sites with full hookups, as well as many other amenities to help you and your family have a comfortable stay. It’s also within short distance from historic landmarks and beautiful parks, such as the Million Dollar Courthouse, Boot Hill Cemetery and Eagle Valley Reservoir.
Water hookup: yes
Electrical hookup: yes
Sewer hookup: yes
Wifi: yes
Pet-friendly: yes
Other amenities: restrooms, showers, laundry, dump station, clubhouse.
Echo Canyon State Park
If you can’t stay at Cathedral Gorge, why not park your RV at another stunning state park just down the road? Echo Canyon State Park has an RV campground with 20 full hookup sites situated on a hill overlooking Dry Valley.
Water hookup: yes
Electrical hookup: yes
Sewer hookup: yes
Wifi: yes
Pet-friendly: yes
Other amenities: restrooms, showers, laundry, dump station, picnic tables, barbeque grills.
Stampede Campground
Stampede Campground is a recreation site that provides amenities for camping and picnicking, plus it’s a trailhead for the Silver State OHV Trail. It is particularly impressive during the colder months in the snow!
Water hookup: no
Electrical hookup: no
Sewer hookup: no
Wifi: N/A
Pet-friendly: yes
Other amenities: restrooms, shade shelters, fire rings, grills.
What to Do at
Cathedral Gorge State Park
Within the park's nearly 2,000 acres, you'll have plenty of opportunities to explore. Several short hikes get you up close to the eroded formations. Bird watchers can spot numerous species of birds, and several desert critters call the park home. You'll also see structures created in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, like the original picnic facilities as well as the stone restroom and water tower located in the park's day-use area. There's even a sand volleyball court at the campground. Cathedral Gorge State Park's picnic area makes for a fun day trip from Las Vegas if you are not planning to stay overnight.
Take advantage of a wide range of activities during your visit to Cathedral Gorge State Park, including hiking, mountain biking, and more.
Inside Cathedral Gorge State Park
If you thought the camping opportunities were impressive, wait until you hear about the activities available to visitors within the state park. From wildlife viewing and hiking, to picnicking and more – there’s something for absolutely everyone at Oak Mountain State Park!
Some of the most popular things to do within the state park include:
Hiking : The best way to explore the caves, ravines, and jagged rock formations is to explore them on foot! There are a few hiking trails within the state park which are highly recommended, including the Bullionville Cemetery Trail, Miller Point Trail, Juniper Draw Loop, Eagle Point Trail, and Nature Loop.
Wildlife viewing : No matter where you are in the park, you should always keep your eyes and ears open for the several species of wildlife that call this region home. The most common animals spotted during the daytime are snakes, lizards, rabbits, gophers, and mice. Once the sun goes down, mule deer, coyotes and kit foxes roam about.
Picnicking : Once you’ve exhausted all of the hiking trails on offer, why not sit back and relax with your very own picnic lunch? You deserve a well-earned rest, plus the views are certainly worth taking the time to enjoy.
Geocaching
There's a small multi-cache in Cathedral Gorge that is easy to get to. You can take one of the goodies in the container, but remember to bring along a family-friendly item to replace it.
Stargazing
Cathedral Gorge is a great place for stargazing. It's far from any big city, reducing interference from light pollution. The park is also at a higher elevation than the surrounding area allowing you an unobstructed view of the night sky right from your campsite.
Flora and Fauna
During your visit, you may spot wildlife such as jackrabbits, kit foxes, mule deer, gophers, coyotes, and rattlesnakes. Species birders can add to their journals include sparrows, red-tailed hawks, ravens, robins, and, if you're fortunate, golden eagles. The park features plants typical of its elevation, including juniper trees. You can also see desert plants that include sagebrush, yucca, greasewood, and saltbush.
Hiking
At three miles, the flat Juniper Draw Loop Trail takes you along the valley floor, where you can view the park's rock formations. The two-mile-long, round-trip Miller Point Trail features a short climb up to Miller Point where you'll get a great view of the park from above. On the park's eastern side, the Moon Caves Trail takes you through a series of narrow slot canyons. Shorter hikes include the Bullionville Trail at 0.2 miles, the Nature Loop at 0.5 miles, and the Eagle Point Trail at 0.8 miles. For a more strenuous hike, try the New Ridgeline Trail; at 8.4 miles round-trip, the trail takes you through the formations and then up to the ridgeline that goes around the park.
Biking
The park has some easy mountain biking trails, including the Juniper Draw Loop, the West Rim Trail, and the Campground Connector.
How to Get to
Cathedral Gorge State Park
From Las Vegas, take Interstate 15 North out of the city to exit 64. Then take exit 64 and head north on US-93. Stay on US-93 North for 143 miles until you reach the park entrance. Make a left onto Cathedral Gorge Park Road to enter the park. The nearby small towns of Caliente, Panaca, and Pioche also provide easy access to the park from US-93.
Entering Cathedral Gorge State Park
Fees vary depending on if you're a Nevada resident or not. The day-use entrance fee for Nevada residents is $5 per vehicle. For non-residents, it's $10 per vehicle. If you bike into the park, the fee for entrance is just $2.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cathedral Gorge State Park
Spring and fall are the best times of the year to visit; days are sunny and mild, but nights are cool. Summer features the hottest temperatures, with thunderstorms during the July to September monsoon season. Winter can get cold, and there's always the chance of snow.
Birds in the park include roadrunners, finches, hummingbirds, blackbirds, ravens, and hawks. While exploring the park's trails, you may also see deer, skunks, kangaroo rats, coyotes, and snakes.
Yes, Cathedral Gorge State Park has 22 designated RV camping spots. Each site has a grill, picnic table, and restrooms nearby. Some sites have electrical hookups, and there is a dump station on site.
You cannot reserve a camping spot at Cathedral Gorge; all sites are first-come, first-served. The cost is $15 per vehicle each night for Nevada residents and $20 per vehicle each night for non-NV residents. Everyone has to pay an extra $10 for sites featuring hookups.
Yes, you can bring your pets to Cathedral Gorge State Park. Note that you must keep your pets on a leash of no more than 6 feet at all times and are expected to clean up after your furry family members.
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