Miller Point Trail

The Miller Point Trail is unquestionably the most scenic and humbling trail inside Cathedral Gorge State Park. Beginning at the Caves Area parking lot, and overlapping with the Juniper Draw Loop for the first portion following the fork from the Juniper Draw Loop, the path to Miller Point enters a narrow slot canyon lined on both sides by the steep spired cliff faces of the landscape that was once the bottom of a deep freshwater lake. The trail toward Miller Point is well-worn and requires some slight scrambling and climbing up flood-worn crevices in the landscape, but for the intrepid explorers it is possible to continue up other slot canyons and find caves, tunnels and cliff faces that look like scenes from a movie! These narrow side canyons also make this the only trail in the park that offers areas of shade from the Nevada sun. The trail should only be taken by those with moderate hiking abilities. After the scrambling up dirt slopes, a tall steel staircase climbs to the overlook point, where a gazebo offers shade, and the brave can step to the cliff's edge for a view nearly straight down into the slot canyons. There is no vegetation anywhere on the cliffs, making it feel as if you've left the typically sage-brush-rich Nevada desert and have walked into another world. Bathrooms are available at Miller Point. Be sure to fill up on water at the visitor center before beginning the hike as there is no water at the trailhead. From here, you can return the way you came and fork right to continue onto the longer Juniper Draw Trail or return to your car. Visitors also have the opportunity to explore the Caves Area and see the narrow vertically-lined washes that make this park such a unique place in Nevada.