How To Visit The Historic Lovelock Cave
Nestled within the Humbolt Mountain range and located 20 miles outside the small Nevada town of Lovelock, the Lovelock Cave is a small, but significally historic landmark…
Nestled within the Humbolt Mountain range and located 20 miles outside the small Nevada town of Lovelock, the Lovelock Cave is a small, but significally historic landmark. It’s an easy, straight-forward drive along the Backcountry Byway and once there, it’s a quick hike to the cave entrance from the parking lot.
As stated above, it is small. This is not the kind of cave where you’ll be able to go from room to room deep into the earth. It’s a small entrance leading to a viewing deck inside an area barely bigger than a modern day studio apartment. Don’t let this stop you, though. The historical significance of the cave more than makes up for its lack of size.
Some 22,000 years ago, Lake Lahontan covered this entire area. As water levels began to recede, wave action started to interact with the limestone, resulting in little pocket caves like this one. Lovelock Cave is just one of many in the area that came to be because of Lahontan. Hidden Cave near Fallon is another example.
In later years, Northern Paiute Indians would utilize this cave for storage and shelter between the timeframe of 2,000 B.C and 1,000 A.D and it would go undiscovered until 1912 when bat guano miners found it and began operations. Shortly after, archeological digs would commence and regularly occur for around 60 years, resulting in the discovery of thousands of artifacts and human remains.
Read on below as we give you a detailed summary on how you can make your way out here and see it for yourself. In the second half of the article, we will briefly cover the legend of the cannibalistic giants that lived here as well as the discovery of the oldest known duck decoys in the world. Enjoy!
Directions
Your journey to the cave begins and ends in Lovelock, NV. Thankfully, it’s easy to get there as your journey begins almost as soon as you exit the freeway. Whether you’re coming from the direction of Winnemucca or Reno, these are the easiest directions to follow:
You’ll take exit #106 towards Downtown.
As you’re taking the exit, you’ll notice a McDonalds.
If you’re coming from Winnemucca, you’ll turn right on Main then left on Amherst (just before McDonalds). If you’re coming from Reno, you’ll turn left on Main, go under the overpass, and left on Amherst.
This road will eventually turn into S. Meridian and becomes a well maintained dirt road as you pass through a beautiful agricultural area.
You’ll stay on this road until you reach Derby road at a two-way intersection. You will go left here.
You’ll cross over the Humbolt River and shortly after, come to a point where the road splits in three directions (as pictured below). You’ll want to continue to the right.
Continue going straight until the road terminates at the parking lot.
Even though it is fairly straight forward, you may feel a little lost at times (we did). Just keep an eye out for those “Lovelock Cave Byway” signs. They’re dotted along the entire stretch of this drive. If you haven’t seen one in a while, you may want to turn around.
Pictured above is a beautiful section of the Humbolt River we ran into along the byway. This view was on our left shortly after turning on Derby. Pictured below is where the road splits into three directions shortly after the river crossing. You’ll turn right to continue towards the cave (though we were curious as to what the other roads led to. If you happen to know, please let us know in the comments).
Between here and the cave, you’ll get amazing views of the Humbolt Mountains on your left and the Humboldt State Wildlife Management Area on your right. We observed many species of birds in this area and even spotted a Rattlesnake sun-bathing in the middle of the road. If you’re into birding, you would do well here.
The road you’ll be on is well maintained with only a few parts that get a bit rough for those driving a compact vehicle. For clarity, our Chevy Cruze made it just fine (though there were a few times we had to slow down due to rough bumps in the road). If you have a truck or jeep, you’ll have no issues.
The road will start to go left and up towards the cave and soon, you’ll see the entrance sign and the parking lot ahead of you. The lot is a decent size that could easily accommodate a few dozen or so creatively parked vehicles. There is also a covered picnic table and one restroom. Fair warning, the restroom isn’t very well maintained (better than nothing, though).
The Nature Trail
At the trailhead, you’ll find an informative board describing the history of the cave and the area as a whole. You’ll find the start of the trail just behind here. If you wanted to complete the trail proper (and you should) you’ll start by heading upwards. If you just want to get to the cave, head left.
The nature trail is short, coming in a just over half a mile for the whole loop. In the beginning there is a bit of an uphill climb but it’s on gentle switchbacks and doesn’t require a whole lot of effort. If you took a brochure along with you (at the trailhead), it’ll describe the mountains, plants, and other features as you go.
If you’re on the trail proper, it’ll take you up, over, and around the cave before dropping you off at the entrance. Just before this, you’ll come to another informative board with an expansive view of what was once ancient Lake Lahontan (now Humbolt Sink). The board details the plant, animal, and fish life that once called this area home.
From here, you’ll continue left on the trail until you reach the entrance to the cave. You’ll go down a little bit before working your way back up. This section of the trail does have sheer drop offs on your right, so be sure to watch your footing. Once you get to the entrance, you will see a few spur trails. There’s no right or wrong here. Just pick one and go up.
When you arrive at the entrance, you’ll see what we mean by how small it is. In fact, it used to be MUCH wider, but an earthquake caused a large rock to collapse into the mouth of the cave, leaving the tiny entrance we have today. You can still see how large it was by looking to the far right of the entrance.
Lovelock Cave
From here, simply head into the cave. Watch your footing as you descend as it’s a rocky and uneven surface. In front of you, you’ll see a wooden deck. This is where you can enjoy the cave from. This deck was installed around 10 years ago to help maintain the integrity of the cave. The BLM does ask that you stay on the deck as archeological digs do still occur here from time to time.
In the photo below, you will see a brightly lit photo of the viewing deck. I used my camera’s flash to attain this photo. It is NOT this bright inside. It isn’t pitch black or anything as you are able to see where you’re going, but it is much darker than what this photo shows.
All around you, you’ll see burn marks at both the entrance of the cave as well as nearly the entire interior. It is believed that this was due to fires being set by Native Americans for warmth, cooking food, etc. There’s also the legend of Natives setting fire to the entrance of the cave to “smoke out” cannibalistic giants that once lived in this area (more on that later).
There’s a lower portion of the deck to the right that takes you slightly further into the cave. It’s much darker on this side as it’s further from the entrance. Seeing a bat or two is a possibility. The brochure we had stated bats were rare in this cave these days but during our visit, we saw two flying around.
From either side of the deck, you can see the areas where both bat guano miners and archeologists dug through. Guano mining took place in the early 1900’s while archeology digs began later and still occur from time to time. Many historical items were discovered here including multiple bones, mummified remains (unconfirmed), weapons, tools, duck decoys (oldest known in the world), clothing, and other artifacts.
Per my research, a total of 10,000 human remains and cultural artifacts have been discovered in this small cave. Prior to the mining and digging, the floor of the cave was much higher than it is today, specifically the left side (which was where most of the digging took place).
Once you’re done enjoying the cave, simply exit and head to the left back on the loop trail to complete your journey. On this section of the trail, you’ll get more expansive views of the Humbolt Sink and see up close the amazing limestone rock formations that make up the exterior. If you’re a rock nerd (like me) you’ll enjoy it.
From here, you just keep going straight until the trail spits you back out to the parking lot. You’re total milage on the trail will be around 6/10’s of a mile and with time exploring the interior of the cave, it shouldn’t take you more than an hour or two to complete.
Legend of the Giants
Now that we’ve gotten the “how to” part of this article out of the way, lets move on to some history. We have heard the legends and rumors surrounding what was and wasn’t found inside this cave. One of those legends pertains to the red-haired, cannibalistic giants that allegedly lived here while ancient Lake Lahontan was still present.
Native Paiutes described these giants (called, “Si-Te-Cah” and translates to, “tule eaters”) as upwards of 12-feet tall with reddish-brown hair all over their bodies and faces (think modern-day Bigfoot descriptions). They would sail across the sink to tribe villages, kidnap native women and children, and would take them back to this cave (and others) to be eaten.
Sick of their people being kidnapped and eaten (understandably), multiple tribes banded together with the purpose of killing these giants once and for all. So they chased them into the cave and after refusing to come out and fight, they set fire to the entrance of the cave. Some of the giants stayed inside, falling victim to burns and smoke inhalation. Others ran out and died after being hit with a hail of arrows.
It is said that many bones were discovered in the cave, some being split down the middle with the bone marrow extracted (which is probably something a giant cannibal would do). Furthermore, legend has it that mummified remains of these giants were found here. I was unable to find anything conclusive that confirmed the existence of these remains, so take it for what it’s worth.
The Duck Decoys
Among the confirmed artifacts unearthed here, the most known has to be the duck decoys. These decoys date back to between 400 B.C - 100 A.D. They’re made of bundled Tule (a desert plant which grows in marshy wetlands), are painted, and have actual Duck feathers still attached. In all, 11 were found with 8 being complete and 3 being unfinished.
These decoys have the distinction of being the oldest known in the world. They went undiscovered and untouched inside the cave for over 2,000 years. It’s truly amazing. Fittingly, they’re currently on display at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.
Conclusion
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How to Visit Berlin - Ichthyosaur Historic State Park
If you love ghost towns and dinosaurs then you need to head out to this little known town in Nevada’s expansive catalogue of State Parks. Berlin-Icthyosaur (say that 10 times fast) is located
If you love ghost towns and dinosaurs then you need to head out to this little known town in Nevada’s expansive catalogue of State Parks. Berlin-Icthyosaur (say that 10 times fast) is located just outside the (very) small town of Gabbs, NV. It has been dubbed as the, “Bodie”, of Nevada and not only contains remnants of an old mining town (Berlin), but it’s also the site of some of the largest Ichthyosaur fossils ever discovered.
Berlin can be a difficult park to find as it is tucked away deep into the Shoshone Mountain Range and doesn’t receive a lot of publicity as some of the other state parks, but it is more than worthy of your efforts to get out and explore it. So read on and discover how you too can visit Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park.
How to Get There
Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park sign.
As stated above, Berlin is a bit out of the way and takes some effort to get to from either direction. It is located in Nye County and the nearest anything to it is the small, unincorporated town of Gabbs (population 155 as of this writing). If you’re coming from:
Reno: Take I-80 east towards Fernley. You’ll then take U.S 50 east for about 70 miles before turning right onto highway 361 and follow that for about 35 miles before finally arriving in Gabbs. From this direction, you’ll take a left on NV-844 east for 16 miles. This road will take you directly to Berlin.
Las Vegas: Make your way to U.S 95 north and follow that for roughly 215 miles. You’ll then veer right onto Route 89 to Gabbs and once there, you’ll follow the same directions above. The only difference is you’ll turn right on NV-844 to the park.
Salt Lake City: You’ll get onto I-80 west and follow that for 300 miles. You’ll then take the exit for NV-305 south heading for the town of Austin. Once in Austin, you’ll briefly turn left on the Lincoln Highway before exiting to NV-722 (you’ll pass the Austin airport). Then, turn left on NV-21 before turning right onto Forrest Developed Road 024 (this will be the back way into Berlin).
Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park entrance.
As you can see, no matter which direction you are coming from, it’s going to be an adventure just getting to Berlin. So whichever way you’re coming from, be sure to stop at one of the bigger towns and fuel up before arriving in Gabbs or Berlin as there are no services in either. It also wouldn’t hurt to make sure your tires are properly inflated and all your fluids are good.
With the exception of the final few miles and coming in through the back way, all roads leading to Berlin are paved and well maintained. The last stretch is on a maintained gravel road. My Chevrolet Cruze made it up there perfectly fine. Potholes and dips were minimal. Keep in mind that if you’re using GPS, it may or may not have you go right at the split. Don’t. Keep to the left road and that will take you straight to the main entrance.
The Fossil House
The Fossil House.
It’s totally up to you on where you want to start. Once you’ve paid your entry fee, you’re free to enjoy the park at your leisure. However, we visited during the covid-19 crisis and one of the ways they were trying to prevent the spread at this particular location was to close the Fossil House. Thankfully, we were one of only two cars that came through this day so the Ranger was kind enough to open it up for us to check out. So we started our day here.
To get to the Fossil House, simply stick to the main road. You’ll eventually pass by the campground and will see a narrow road on your right with a sign pointing the way. Take this road. Be warned, this road is VERY narrow and there isn’t a whole lot of room for two vehicles to pass each other. At the top of the hill, you’ll come to the road’s terminus at the parking lot for the Fossil House. You’ll see a giant mural of an Ichthyosaur to the right of the lot to make it fairly obvious that you’re in the right spot. This mural represents the actual size of the largest, intact fossil inside the house.
Mural of an actual sized Ichthyosaur.
As you can see from the above photo, Ichthyosaurs were known to get huge. Some coming in at over fifty feet in length. The fossils found at this location were discovered in 1928 with excavations beginning in 1954 and running through the 1960’s. After it was all said and done, there were 40 near-complete Ichthyosaurs found at various locations throughout the park.
Tours of the Fossil House are 40 minutes in length and offered during the following times:
Daily, Memorial Day through Labor Day at 10am and 2pm with an additional noon tour offered on Saturdays and Sundays.
From March to Memorial Day and Labor Day to late November, there is no noon tour.
FOR THE REMAINDER OF 2020 AND UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, TOURS OF THE FOSSIL HOUSE ARE CANCELED! I will update this once official information from park officials are provided. There are viewing windows at the Fossil House that you are free to use.
There is a fee to take this tour. It is $5.00 per person while kids 12 and under are free.
The excavation site inside the fossil house at Berlin State Park.
Inside the Fossil House, there’s a small loop trail and takes you around the excavation site with actual fossils in the middle of it. There are numbered, white markers next to certain sections of the fossil that explain which part of the Ichthyosaur you’re looking at. At first, it won’t make any sense but eventually you’ll see it and that “ah hah” moment will hit you.
I’m grateful to the Ranger that opened the house and allowed us to explore it at our leisure. Normally, as stated above, this is part of a tour. The Ranger gave us the booklet he uses during the tour that matches up to the markers on the fossils and explains everything. Once we were done, we chatted with him a bit and then left to explore Berlin proper.
To the Ranger that did this for us; If you’re reading this, thank you so much.
Berlin: A True Nevada Ghost Town
Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park.
Once we got our fill of Ichthyosaurs, it was now time to explore the ghost town portion of the park. We drove back down to the town proper and found a small parking space near the visitor center and flag pole. In case you’re here during a particularly busy day, just know that parking can be a little scarce here. You may have to get creative.
Berlin was a true, turn-of-the-century mining town. The height of its peak ran from 1898 to its death in 1911. However, mining activity began in the area as early as 1863 when silver was discovered in Union Canyon resulting in the formation of the Union Mining District and included the towns of Berlin, Grantsville, Ione, and of course, Union. A few years later in 1896, the Berlin Mine was established.
By the time mining concluded in 1911, the estimated total production of Berlin was $849,000 with a price of $20 per ounce of gold. Around 250 people including Miners, Wood-Cutters, Charcoal Makers, a Doctor, Nurse, Forest Ranger, and Prostitute made up the town. The cool thing about this abandoned town is that not some, but MOST of the original buildings are still standing and there are even some original residents still buried in the town cemetery.
Here are a few of the highlights you’re able to check out on this self-guided tour:
The Machine Shop
This was what we know now to be a Maintenance Shop. Here, Blacksmiths and Mechanics worked to keep the machinery of the mine in working order.
Every so often, a passer-by would have his vehicle towed here to be worked on after breaking down.
The Assay Office
Here, samples of rock, ore, and concentrates from the mill would be sent for processing (assayed) to determine the values they contained.
The furnace used charcoal because it was the only clean burning fuel available locally. The night watchmen would use this office to keep warm and eat their meals.
The Stage Station
This is where the stage driver and his horse would live…together. A partition inside separated the living quarters from the barn section of the building.
The men who drove stage during this time was John Mullin, Ed Dieringer, and Alex Dyer.
Company Store
There’s nothing much left now, but this was once the site of the company store. Here, they sold everything from mining equipment, clothing, groceries, and drugs to locals and workers.
During labor troubles in 1905, the store also served as a jail. The building you see in the background was a storage warehouse.
Superintendent Home
This was the home of the mine’s superintendent and now serves as a small welcome center.
During a labor strike in 1907 when the miners wanted a raise from $3.50 to $4.00 per day Mr. Bowen, the Super, shut the mine down.
To counter, the miners teamed up and forcefully escorted Mr. Bowen off property. He then drove to the town of Tonopah and brought back a Sheriff to help re-gain control.
The Berlin Mill
During the heyday of Berlin’s production, you’d see a beehive of activity here.
One man would be operating the crusher, another tended the 30 stamps and concentration tables, while another looked after the boilers and steam engines.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of features found in Berlin. Other cool things to check out include the town cemetery, mine foreman’s house, miner’s dugout, entrance to the Berlin mine, doctor’s house, and more! As you can see, you could easily spend a full day or more checking everything out in Berlin.
Lodging & Fees
The nearest hotels and/or Airbnb’s you’ll find are in the bigger towns nearby. These include Fallon, Austin, and Hawthorne. If you want to stay in the park, they have an established campground you could utilize. It contains 14 well-spaced units, some being able to accommodate RV’s up to 25 feet long. Each unit comes with a fire pit, BBQ grills, covered picnic tables, and drinking water (outside of winter). Restrooms and an RV dump station are located nearby.
The fee to camp is $15.00 per night with a 14 night maximum (30-day window). Keep in mind that this per night fee is in addition to your entry fees which are:
$5.00 per vehicle
$2.00 per bike (motorcycle)
When you arrive, someone may or may not be at the gate collecting entry fees. We arrived just before the Ranger was about to take off so he was kind enough to take our money and fill out the envelope for us. If there is no one there, simply stop at the gate to fill in the envelope and drop it into the red deposit pole (with your fee included, of course). Much like most Nevada State Parks, only cash is accepted for entry fees.
There are also no restaurants or vending machines in the park. So be sure to bring snacks and water with you. There is one restaurant in Gabbs (the gateway town to Berlin). It is called, “R&D’s Bar”, and serves up burgers, fries, hot dogs, chicken wings, and similar fare. Aside from that, you’ll need to get to the bigger towns listed above.
Directly adjacent to the pay station at the main entrance is a restroom of the pit toilet variety. I must admit that of all State and National Parks I’ve been to, Berlin had THE cleanest restroom of its kind. There is another restroom located near the campground.
Conclusion
Berlin Mill. Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park.
Berlin is perhaps Nevada’s most intriguing and unique state park. The combination of an abandoned mining town and the discovery of a massive amount of Ichthyosaur fossils should put Berlin at or near the top of any traveler’s list of places to explore. It’s also a great place to shoot dark sky photographs if you have the gear. I highly recommend and encourage you to visit this amazing place for yourself. Thanks for reading!
Safe Travels.
Have you visited Berlin? Do you plan to? Tell me about it in the comment section below!
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Visit Dayton State Park & Rock Point Mill
Established in 1977 and originally used as a Paiute fishing camp, Dayton State Park is 160 acres in size and located in the highly historic Nevada town of the same name. It features hiking trails
Established in 1977 and originally used as a Paiute fishing camp, Dayton State Park is 160 acres in size and located in the highly historic Nevada town of the same name. It features hiking trails, picnic areas, camping, fishing opportunities, and the remnants of the abandoned, “Rock Point Mill”.
Getting Here
Dayton State Park. Dayton, NV.
Dayton State Park is not too far from two of Nevada’s larger cities; Carson City and Reno. From Carson, you’ll travel east on Highway 50 for about 11 miles before turning right at the entrance.
From Reno, you’ll travel south on I-580 for 30 miles before joining US-50 east for, you guessed it, 11 miles before turning right into the park.
Things to Do
Hiking trail in Dayton State Park.
As mentioned at the beginning of this post, there are many activities for you to partake in. For starters, there are two hiking trails in the park. One begins near the campground and winds through the foliage as you make your way to the banks of the Carson River.
The other also begins near the campground but goes in the opposite direction and across the highway to the ruins of an old abandoned stamp mill (more on that later).
Picnic area. Dayton State Park.
There are several picnic areas located throughout the park proper and near the mill site. In addition, the group area provides shade and 10 picnic tables that you can reserve for birthday parties, reunions, etc.
You can also camp here. The campground is located near the entrance and contains 10 sites with fire rings, grills, and picnic tables. In addition to tent camping, each site can accommodate RV’s up to 34 feet in length. Dump stations and restrooms are located nearby.
Small garden. Dayton State Park.
Park fees are as follows:
$5.00 per vehicle for day use
$15.00 per night for camping (this is in addition to the day use fee)
Like most Nevada State Parks, fees getting collected are largely dependent on the honor system via self register. Both day use and camping fees are to be paid at the register station located at the entrance. Park Rangers do make regular checks throughout the day.
Rock Point Mill
Rock Point Mill. Dayton State Park.
For me and many others, the main attraction of this park is the opportunity to explore the remains of Rock Point Mill, an old stamp mill that first operated in 1861, was destroyed in a fire in 1909, was rebuilt in the same year, and closed for good in 1920.
Rock Point was built by Charles C. Stevenson (who from 1887 to 1890 was Governor of Nevada) at a cost of $75,000. There were originally 40 stamps that crushed silver and gold ore from the Virginia City and Gold Hill mines but was eventually expanded to 56 at its peak.
Rock Point Mill. Dayton State Park.
As mentioned earlier, Rock Point was destroyed by a huge fire in 1909 but was almost immediately rebuilt with galvanized iron. This new version of the mill (which are what most of the remains are from) ran until its permanent closure in 1920.
You’re free to wander about the ruins at your leisure. Here you’ll find the stamp remains, mill foundations, and a small rock hole cut out in the base of the mill. It’s not much (only around 5 feet), but it is cool to see.
Rock Point Mill. Dayton State Park.
There are two ways to reach the Rock Point ruins. One way is to utilize the trail that leaves from the campground in the state park proper that runs parallel along US-50. You’ll eventually reach a tunnel that goes underneath the highway and spits you out at the ruins.
The tunnel at Dayton State Park.
If you don’t feel like walking, your other option would be to hop in your car and drive there. You’ll turn left onto US-50 from the park exit and turn right into the Gold Ranch Casino parking lot. You’ll find the entrance to this section of the park to the right of the casino.
Rock Point Mill remains. Dayton State Park.
From your car, there will be a short stroll through cottonwoods and another picnic area before reaching the ruins. The whole walk will take you around 5 minutes or so.
When to Go
Fall colors at Dayton State Park.
The park is open 365 days a year so really, anytime is a good time. However, if you’re asking my personal opinion, I would highly recommend you pay a visit in the fall. Specifically when the fall colors are at their peak (as you can see in the photo above).
Dayton State Park, as told to me by the Ranger, is on the list for the top 10 places in the entire state for fall colors and I won’t argue with him. If you arrive at peak time, it is drop dead gorgeous.
Summer, as always, will see the most amount of visitors but even then, the park doesn’t get very busy. Chances are good that no matter when you decide to visit, you’ll be able to snag yourself a campsite and enjoy the park with minimal crowds.
Safe travels & thanks for reading!
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At the far southern end of Las Vegas Boulevard, placed in the Ivanpah Valley like a colorful mirage in an otherwise desolate desert, an art exhibit…