October 16-18, 2024
From Kershaw-Ryan I came back north to Cathedral Gorge State Park, about four miles northwest of Panaca, Nevada (population about 800.) There are some really neat looking cliffs, some with short but tall slot canyons built into them. There are some “squeeze through” sections. It’s rustic, sort of like Badlands in South Dakota, but on a smaller scale. It’s a beautiful, peaceful setting with a couple good hikes, though it too is a rather small park. The longest hike is four miles round trip. I did forty miles on the bike yesterday, riding a loop utilizing park roads and a bike path into town.
Overnight, there was rain as the wind picked up and temperatures went down. This is only the third time I have had rain on this trip (Day 58 today since I left Danbury). The temp was 37 this morning with windchill 26. I could see snow in the mountains that surround this area. I sat in my van with the heater on, having cereal and tea, nice and comfortable. I was thinking it may be an “indoor” kind of day. Or not.
I decided to do a short hike, a three-mile RT meander along the bottom of the Gorge. The trail goes in a horseshoe pattern along the bottom of the cliffs that give the park its name. The coolness, the breeze, and the freshness of the air felt great. It is such a contrast from the hot weather I have experienced over most of this trip.
I head for Zion National Park tomorrow.
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