The valley bottom is covered with a variety of colorful plants, including yucca, juniper trees, primrose, and sage. However, despite its harshness, the desert is home to a number of unique species of animals, such as the kangaroo rat, the black-tailed jackrabbit, and the cottontail rabbit. Coyotes, kit foxes, and mule deer are just few of the nocturnal animals that phrazle frequent Cathedral Gorge State Park after the sun goes down. It's not unusual to see ravens, kestrels, and sparrows soaring across the mostly cloudless blue sky, or maybe a red-tailed hawk or golden eagle if you're very fortunate.

There are four routes for hikers to explore in the park, and visitors may also check out the cave systems (Moon Caves, Canyon Caves, and Cathedral Caves) located close off the main road. The Miller Point Trail is just a mile long, but it's worth it to hike the three-mile Juniper Draw Loop to reach the breathtaking lookout at Miller Point. Bicyclists and equestrians are welcome on the former, while dogs on leashes are welcome everywhere else in the park.

Cathedral Gorge State Park has 22 first-come, first-served campsites for overnight visitors. There is drinking water, flush toilets, and showers at each site, as well as picnic tables, grills, and shade. There are also plug-ins for electricity. 

The park is open all year, however it gets quite hot in the summer and very frigid in the winter. Daytime highs in the summer average 95 degrees, while overnight lows average 55. The park is located at a height of 4,800 feet above sea level, making the winters rather chilly. Just over two and a half hours from Las Vegas, Cathedral Gorge State Park is a quick five-minute drive from the hamlet of Panaca, Nevada.