Panaca Swimming Hole is a small crystal-clear oasis perfect for swimming during the warmer months of the year! The town of Panaca, located just a couple miles away from Cathedral Gorge State Park, is southern Nevada's oldest settled town. The Mormon influence is still apparent, as Panaca is the only legally dry town in the state, and it is one of only two that prohibits gambling within town limits.
The spring is a mile north of town, and it tends to resemble the larger emerald spring-fed pools of Florida much more than Nevada's small mineral-hued hot springs. Dammed up to regulate flow to nearby fields, the resulting pool is a popular spot for locals to swim and float on tubes at during the summer.
Surfacing in a patch of reeds nearby and forming a waist-deep pool at a consistent 85 degrees, bathers will share the spring with the abundant fish, crabs, and frogs living within and around this oasis. A nearby trail climbs a small hill to views overlooking the dramatic skies that blow over this part of the state. A large dirt parking area has only a trash can.
A place like this has a tendency to be a popular local party spot, and unfortunately litter and broken glass can be common. But it is otherwise a beautiful spot and pretty unique within Nevada, and it is definitely worth a visit for those driving up Highway 93!
Comments
Sign In and share them.