Nineteenth Century newspaperman and author Horace Greeley promoted the adventurousness and opportunities western U.S. territories afforded, so he is credited with the famous phrase, “Go west, young man.”
Other than the popular Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Yosemite, Zion, and Glacier national parks, Easterners are least likely to contemplate truly out-of-the-way western sites when considering travel plans. Yet, sometimes it’s the lesser-known places that are the most interesting.
On a recent fall road trek to Nevada, discovered was America’s “true west” as well as exceptionally stunning natural beauty at every turn. When one thinks of Nevada, often Las Vegas and the Hoover Dam are the only two sites that pop into their minds. However, this state of little population within its 110,000 square miles offers up some of the most diverse landscapes – as well as fascinating history.
Assigned as state park volunteers for one month, my husband and I traversed miles of uninhabited landscape from Denver, Colo, and through Nevada’s neighboring state of Utah, to arrive at Cathedral Gorge State Park in the southeast corner of the state.
Truly indescribable, other than to attach words like “otherworldly,” “moonlike,” or “fantastical,” this basin – meaning a large, low-lying depression in the earth that once held water (believe it or not) – is surrounded by jagged, lifeless, slot canyons and showcases one large “cathedral” formation. Being there and traversing the slot canyons, which are basically narrow cave-like areas often open at the top, reminds visitor just how diverse is this country’s geography.
And, if that was not enough of a dissimilar experience, this area of Lincoln County, Nevada, offers five state parks within 28 miles, as well as Great Basin National Park a little over an hour’s drive, and the infamous Area 51 on the Terrestrial Highway within driving distance. Each of the close-by state parks is completely different from the next. There are smooth, cream-colored lava tuff cliffs that resemble melted marshmallows at Spring Valley; jagged cliffs occupied by golden eagles at Echo Canyon; a wide wash and cottonwood-dense stream at Kershaw-Ryan; a hidden waterfall at Beaver Dam; and, historic, railroad-supported Elgin Schoolhouse at the end of the Rainbow Canyon scenic drive.
A visit to this park system’s only visitor center at Cathedral Gorge, near Panaca, provides a state park passport for stamps and plenty of maps and information about all the surrounding parks, hiking and biking trails, and ATV routes; plus, displays convey information about parks and activities farther away.
Besides the intriguing landscape and geological features discovered here, the history of this state is wrapped up in the Gold Rush, general ore mining, and the Union Pacific Railroad. Three almost-ghost towns that were once thriving, with saloons, hotels, an opera house, and more, are within 15 miles drive of Cathedral Gorge. But each tiny town still presents a friendly market, café or food truck, and plenty of remnants of a once booming economy in the form of abandoned mining equipment, stone, beehive-shaped coal kilns, and an architecturally stunning (and recently restored) train depot in Caliente. A boxcar museum is also in Caliente, and a museum is manned on Main Street in Pioche – which was at one time considered the deadliest wild west town in the western United States.
Finally, the wildlife is also abundant. Besides golden eagles aplenty, we were fortunate to see bobcats, coyotes, wild horses, mule deer, sandhill cranes, lots of bluebirds and ringneck doves, and jackrabbits.
Anyone deciding to truly enjoy an off-the-beaten path trip can plan to camp at the state parks or find accommodations in the form of cabins, motels, or bed and breakfast in Panaca, Pioche, or Caliente. Otherwise, Cedar City, Utah, is 80 miles away from this Lincoln County area of Nevada, and Las Vegas (where many travelers to Nevada fly into) is just 166 miles away.
Piqued your interest? Adventurers looking for a unique travel experience will not be disappointed. Just realize that spring and fall are the best times to visit, due to high heat in the summer and cold in the winter.
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