After visiting with friends in St George, Utah it was time to head on my way in Nevada with a couple stops along the way. Signs for public lands and overlooks hook me like fish on a worm. And could be one of the reasons I don’t put down many miles in a day. Only mid-June and still in the desert Southwest.
Having studied the cultural history of northern Arizona and southern Utah plus visited Lees Ferry many times over the years, I’d heard about the Mountain Meadow Massacre. So when I saw a sign for an overlook, just had to stop and check it out though I did not visit any of the other sites. In early September 1857, about 140 people camped in Ox Valley, families from Arkansas who were headed to California with all their worldly belongings in wagons, herding cattle, mules, horses, and oxen. On September 7th, a group of Mormon militiamen and Paiute Indians attacked the camp and the emigrants fought for five days to protect their families. Under a false white flag of truce, the militiamen entered the camp, collected weapons, and separated the emigrants into three groups marching them out of camp. Then, at a prearranged signal, militiamen shot the men, older boys, and some of the wounded before massacring the women and most of the children. The last 17 small children were stripped of clothing and left to die. Two years later, United States Army soldiers buried the scattered remains. Yet it took 17 years for a federal grand jury to indict nine Mormon militiamen for these crimes and only one, John D. Lee, was brought to trial, convicted, and executed on March 23, 1877. This National Historic Landmark memorial site was completed/established in 2011.
Orange Mallow covered hillsides welcomed to Nevada
From there I continued on SR18 north to SR56 west which became SR319 in Nevada then north on US93 which gets its start in Wickenburg, Arizona (near my home base). Are you lost yet?
After watching Carolyn’s RV Life video about Cathedral Gorge State Park I decided to see it for myself.
First stopped at the Regional Information station where I asked questions and bought a hat pin and sticker. Non-residents of Nevada pay a $10 day use fee and $20 to dry camp which includes entry.
I thought about staying in the campground yet slipped right past the electronic iron ranger, missed the campground turn off, and ended up at day use parking.
At 90° it was too hot to hike much even though there are six developed trails from .05 to 3 miles long.
I did poke my nose, and camera, into a couple almost slot like canyons that ended rather quickly.
This badlands landscape began tens of millions of years ago during volcanic activity that left behind ash altered into silt and clay then later deposited by rivers, streams, and fluctuating lake levels about 2.5 million years ago. Add erosion and you have the continuingly sculpted formations with deeply incised canyons seen today. In 1935, Cathedral Gorge became one of the first state parks in Nevada. Sadly, I didn’t wander far enough to see the CCC built picnic facilities, stone water tower and rest room.
Although the formations were interesting, especially with the dramatic sky, I didn’t think the park was worth the price of admission. So being late in the afternoon and still needing a place to camp, preferably through the coming weekend, I continued north under threatening skies to explore more of Nevada.
Nice to see that you have a signal to write and post another blog. We enjoyed a day at Cathedral Gorge on our way home from somewhere, but not being a fan of that kind of deposit we didn’t hike a lot. It was hot for us as well. As you know, I want my slots hard and slick, my sandstone well cemented. I have no idea why the eroded mud deposits are interesting but don’t move me the way Wingate does, or Kayenta, or Navajo. Have you ever been to Capitol Reef? For some reason I don’t remember if you have. Those wild clouds look absolutely gorgeous. I see why you lingered on your way through Nevada. It is a wonderful place to be alone.
Yes, another snowpark. LOL Cathedral Gorge looked like a drip sand castle. I too prefer sandstone. Been years since I was to Capitol Reef, pre-blogging. I’m in love with Nevada.
Next time try Kershaw Ryan State Park outside of Caliente. Read up on the geology and the area is very interesting.
Thanks for the interesting recommendation. I’ll be back to Nevada sometime.
Thanks for sharing your journey Gaelyn. Pictures are very dramatic through Nevada. Hope all is well with you. We are scorching here in Crete 40c some days. Take care and stay safe.
Thanks. Nevada was amazing in many ways, more to come. OMG, that’s hotter than here. Stay cool somehow.
Thanks for the human and natural history tidbits!
Stories like this, and watching the current Yellowstone spinoff “1883” gives me a new appreciation for those folks crossing the west in those days. So dangerous.
Yea, it’s hard enough to travel in today’s world, back then must have been brutal.
A stunning sat of photos and a very interesting bit of history. It must have been a difficult life in those days for everyone. Hugs Diane and Nigel
Thanks.
Awesome pix showing off the diversity and drama of Nevada
Thanks. This is just the beginning of Nevada as I became hooked on the place.
Cathedral Gorge is stunning. Have to put that one on the list!!
I’d recommend at least a short stop.
Very interesting history. Mormon militia men??
That “religious” group has some history. A seriously gruesome tale. But still your Nevada stops are making me very interested. What months of the year are actually good for hiking there??
Yes, the Mormon history is rather strange. I fell in love with Nevada but can’t say when is best time for hiking.
Yes some gruesome events of old, too. I was struck by the date. One day short of exactly 100 years of day I was born. Thanks for the orange mallow:) Prolific here too. Just recent enjoyed, apricot mallow, wild morning glory, chicory and cinnamon bark of manzanita. i’ve not been to those mentioned except Cathedral Gorge which I loved. No one else there. Warm too, so wanna go back for trails. thanks Gaelyn.
Thanks. I would definitely return to Cathedral Gorge, and Nevada in general.
Nevada is a vast and inordinately interesting part of the west that is too often ignored, but maybe that is a good thing. I recommend Austin, Jarbridge, West Wendover, Wendover, Utah is where the crews trained to drop the Atomic Bomb on Japan. Beatty, Tonopah, Goldfield, Virginia City, Gerlach, Hawthorne/Walker Lake, Rachel where Flying Saucers have ‘Self-Parking’. Death Valley and the oasis of Shoshone are near Nevada and could be added to any exploration of SW Nevada.