Hidden Slot Canyons and Ancient Spires Make This Nevada Park a Desert Hiker’s Paradise

Cathedral Gorge, Nevada

Deep in Nevada’s backcountry, Cathedral Gorge turns basic clay into pure magic. This state park’s narrow slot canyons and rippled walls tell a story of ancient lakes and patient erosion. The morning light makes the whole place glow like molten copper. Here’s what makes Cathedral Gorge Nevada’s best secret hiking spot.

Otherworldly Bentonite Clay Formations

This isn’t your typical rock and dirt hiking spot. We’re talking about bentonite clay, this bizarre stuff sculpted through millions of years into something that looks like God’s own art project.

Volcanic explosions dumped layers of ash that eventually became this soft, malleable clay. The layers reach 1,000 feet thick in spots. Touch it and feel something between chalk and powder—totally unlike anything else you’ll put your hands on in Nevada.

Nevada’s Only Extensive Slot Canyon Network

Forget Utah and Arizona. Nevada’s got its own slot canyons right here. But these aren’t your usual sandstone affairs—these slots are carved from that bentonite clay that makes this place tick.

Some spots get so tight you’ll have to turn sideways and breathe in to squeeze through. The colors shift from tan to pink to buff as the sun moves. Many slots lead to round rooms locals call “cathedrals” where you stand in a clay bowl and look up at a perfect circle of sky.

The “Rabbit Hole” Tunnel Adventure

Want something straight out of Alice in Wonderland? Try the “rabbit hole”—a hidden tunnel that lets you crawl through to secret spaces on the other side. This thing sits about 4 feet up a wall, forcing grown adults to drop to their knees and crawl like kids.

The tunnel stretches about 15 feet before opening into a hidden chamber roughly 20 feet across. Check out the walls inside where you’ll spot hand carvings dating back to the 1920s when locals first stumbled upon this little secret.

Constantly Evolving Terrain

Most hiking spots stay pretty much the same your whole life. Not this place. The bentonite clay here is alive, constantly changing shape. After rainstorms, these canyon walls get soft and bendy, reshaping themselves in ways you can actually see.

Rangers mark new cracks after big storms to track the changes. The visitor center shows photos of one spire that changed its shape six different times between 2020 and 2025. Leave footprints in this stuff and they might stick around for weeks until the next rain washes them away.

The Moon Caves

The Moon Caves area feels like NASA should be driving rovers across it. The landscape is so bizarre, so utterly alien, you’ll swear you’ve left Earth behind. Locals named it in 1969 when they said it looked just like those Apollo moon landing sites on TV.

You’ll find over 30 small chambers connected by twisting passages. Look for bright white mineral deposits that catch sunlight and sparkle like stars. On hot days, the clay gives off this faint smell of sulfur that adds to the whole “not on Earth anymore” vibe.

Cathedral Caves’ Natural Architecture

The park’s namesake features are these massive spires that shoot up toward the sky like church steeples.

Some of these bad boys reach nearly 100 feet high, casting long shadows across the landscape. The tallest one, nicknamed “The Bishop,” stands 87 feet tall but is just 4 feet wide at its base—like some crazy clay skyscraper.

Look closely at the walls to spot ripple marks from the ancient lake that once covered everything you’re standing on.

Miller Point’s Panoramic Perspectives

Miller Point changes the whole game. Instead of looking up at these formations, you’re standing above them, getting the bird’s eye view of this bizarre landscape. This lookout sits 320 feet above the canyon floor, no small climb.

On days when the air is clear, you can spot five different mountain ranges from this one spot. Don’t miss the historic stone gazebo built back in 1934 that frames perfect photos of the valleys spread out below you like some alien landscape.

The Juniper Draw Loop’s Diverse Ecosystems

The Juniper Draw Loop stretches about 4 miles and shows you all the different faces of this weird place. It cuts through areas where plants have somehow figured out how to live in this harsh clay world.

The trail crosses six dry washes where flash floods tear through once or twice a year. Some juniper trees along the path have been hanging on for 900 years.

Watch how the ground changes from pure clay to mixed zones where sand, clay, and gravel blend, allowing plants to grab hold where they simply can’t in the pure clay areas.

Historic CCC Water Tower and Structures

During the Great Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps boys came here and built stuff that’s still standing—tough, no-nonsense structures including a water tower that’s become the unofficial mascot of the place.

That tower held 5,000 gallons and was built completely by hand, no power tools in sight. Look at the stonework and you’ll spot mason marks left by CCC workers. The stone picnic tables haven’t moved an inch since 1935 when this place first opened as a park.

Eagle Point Trail’s Wildlife Encounters

Eagle Point Trail isn’t just a clever name. This one-mile path leads to a lookout where eagles actually hang out.

Golden eagles build nests on the cliffs from March through July. Show up at dawn and you might catch kit foxes hunting near the trailhead. Keep an eye out for white-tailed antelope squirrels that live nowhere else in the world except this valley.

Nature Loop’s Educational Experience

The Nature Loop isn’t trying to be fancy. It’s just 0.3 miles of packed clay that’s hardened like concrete, but it tells you everything you need to know about this place. Ten stops along the way show you how desert plants hustle to solve their water problems.

One sign explains how this clay soil holds onto water 10 times longer than sandy soil would. The finale of this little loop is a 400-year-old juniper tree with roots exposed by erosion, hanging on against all odds.

Getting to Cathedral Gorge

Cathedral Gorge sits right off Highway 93 in eastern Nevada, about 2.5 hours north of Las Vegas and just under 2 hours from St. George, Utah.

The park entrance is $5 if you’re a Nevada local or $10 if you’re from out of state.

Want to stay? The campground has 24 sites with electric hookups for $15-$20 a night (plus $10 more if you need hookups).

The closest real town is Panaca, but don’t expect much—bring your own food, water, and anything else you need to survive.