Meeker Peak and Leviathan Cave in Basin and Range National Monument, NV

Hike Meeker Peak and Leviathan Cave Basin and Range National Monument, NV

Class 4 5.2 miles 3100 gain 5-7 hrs Out + Back Sep 11, 2023
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

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Although the scramble to Meeker Peak is Class 4, reaching Leviathan Cave requires a rappel and subsequent reascent. Climbing out of the sinkhole would be Class 5, so ensure you have proper ascending gear.

Located within Basin and Range National Monument and the Worthington Mountains Wilderness, Leviathan Cave is one of many public caves in the expanse of Nevada. Entering the cave actually seems to be encouraged, indicated by a small photo and a snippet about the subterranean wonderland on a kiosk at the trailhead. Make sure to be prepared with the right equipment, including helmets and lights, and inform someone outside the cave of your plans. Leviathan Cave is a remote gem that requires some route-finding to reach, a rappel, and navigation when within its depths. I’ve waited to plan a trip out here for years because finding a friend interested in driving so far north of Las Vegas for a small cave like this one never seemed to work out. I also didn’t want to see only Leviathan Cave without also tacking on Meeker Peak, located just to the south. I should have guessed that Matt would be willing to drive a million years from Phoenix to hang with me and check out both of these destinations.

Just some quick, responsible caving notes before describing the route. Caves are fragile and require care when entering. Practice “Leave No Trace” principles, do not disturb or remove any natural features, and respect the cave’s delicate ecosystem. Avoid unnecessary noise and other disturbances that could disrupt wildlife and keep your group size small. Leviathan Cave may be temporarily or permanently closed to protect its resources or for safety reasons, so check first before making the long trip out. It’s also important to wear shoes that have not been worn in other caves to prevent the spread of serious bat-killing diseases.

Any car can make it here (37.85378, -115.50180), where high brush requires some clearance as you head west. Continue north here (37.84185, -115.55978), then head go west here (37.84892, -115.56010) to the end of the road. We started west up a casual slope with hints of a social trail, but we quickly dropped into the wash to the left. The wash was usually pretty rocky, but we manged to find sections of open hiking. Ahead we could see a major cliff band with a major notch. This notch is our goal for overcoming the cliff band and accessing all the goodies we had in store for today.

We headed left at a fork toward the notch, where we passed some (hopefully) dud ordnance remains within the drainage. The drainage quickly becomes more of a loose gully that requires boulder-hopping and scrambling up dirty gravel nonsense. While rarely unpleasant, the hike was steep and it only grew more so as we ascended. Often there was a social trail to assist in the ascent. Debris from years of fallen trees and rockslides slowed us further. Higher up there was a short cliff band that could be overcome on the right using some Class 2/3 scrambling. Toward the head of the gully before reaching the notch, the terrain grew steeper still and includes some light Class 3. Once above the steep ascent through the notch, we followed a social trail up the subsequent slope and onto the north ridge of Meeker Peak.

Matt and I decided we wanted to visit Meeker Peak first before exploring Leviathan Cave. If you’re just interested in the cave, this would be the spot to just drop down to the west and head to it. But how could the lure of grabbing a summit escape you? We headed south, side-hilling on the western slope well below the ridge. We decided to stay low since the cliff bands above seemed severe and the side-hilling wasn’t annoying at all. Aside from a short Class 3 cliff band and various Class 2 obstacles, we were able to avoid difficulties and reach the ridgeline again. Meeker Peak was just south, and it looked like it might prove to be trickier than we anticipated.

An annoying Class 2 slope covered in loose scree/talus led us up to the base of Meeker Peak’s protective cliff band. Both the west and east sides of the cliff band dropped drastically, leaving only the north side as a potential ascent option. This was likely the only weakness on the entirety of the peak’s perimeter. After poking around at our options, I started first since I wanted to just feel around before committing to this climb. I was surprised at how solid the limestone was, and that there were a couple of key ledges that served as footholds. The 20-foot endeavor went at Class 4, but it was far more tame than it appeared from below. Class 2/3 led us along the remainder of the ridgeline to the summit of Meeker Peak.

After backtracking from the summit, we descended toward Leviathan Cave on a dirt slope. There was one small cliff band we had to find a way around, Class 3. We emerged at the top of the sinkhole that allows access to Leviathan Cave, a remarkable gap in the ground that we gawked at for a while before dropping around on the left to reach the lowest point. Here we set up a rappel using a large boulder as our anchor. The drop was only about 30 feet, but there are various anchor options you can choose from, so I recommend bringing a 100′ rope. The first 10 feet from the lip are vertical, but the bottom section is just a series of Class 3 ledges.

A social trail leads around to the left and down into a false cave, worth exploring for its various formations and very cool tall ceiling at its end. It was at this time I realized my headlamp was basically useless, so I was exceptionally happy Matt had invested in one that illuminated the cave farther than five feet ahead of us. I kept to his heels, constantly begging him to stop so I could take photos every couple of seconds. As always, he was a good sport about my pestering. I don’t know anything about geology, so it was just cool to enjoy the various shapes and colors. I tried to pay attention to Matt’s ramblings about rocks and minerals and… rocks, most of which my brain quickly forgot. He did tell me a cute mnemonic to remember stalagmites and stalactites: stalactites have to hold on “tight” to the ceiling so they don’t fall off.

After exiting the false cave, we hugged the wall at the base of the sinkhole and dropped deeper where we were met with two dark hole options. Keeping right led into another false cave that basically asended steeply to nowhere, while keeping left brought us into the mouth of Leviathan Cave. The main chamber of the cave is reached through a narrow crawl space. Likely anyone can crawl through, but doing so required some effort to not get torn up. I’m super smart and chose to wear shorts. The cave is larger than we thought it would be, but really is only one chamber with various points of interest. A slope ascends from the entrance up to a wet hamlet housing tons of fragile cave formations. Another slope leads down to a set of small pools that captivated us for a long time. Incredible features are scattered throughout and we somehow managed to spend hours just enjoying the space. Photos below will describe better what we saw.

As incredible as this chamber was, we were ready to head back to the cars since we still had a lot of driving to do. With dread, I realized I had no idea where the exit was. Without skipping a beat, Matt confidently led us in the direction that he felt was right. It turned out to be incorrect. I instantly realized the sport of caving isn’t for me as panic set in. We only had Matt’s bright headlamp and my dinky light source. The entrance tunnel was pretty small. How would we find it? We found it in under a minute, but it felt like an eternity as I tried to hold myself together. After all, there were only so many places it could be in this single chamber, but I couldn’t believe how turned around we’d gotten. Now that we knew where the exit was, we took some more time to just acclimate ourselves to the layout to see how we got mixed up.

I chose to handline our rope to get out of the sinkhole, while Matt freesoloed the short climb. We packed our gear and started back up the slope. There is an alternative route option that skips the notch ascent we took to reach Leviathan Cave that I wanted to check out on the way back. It wraps north around the major cliff band, but it was a dumb and tedious route that made little sense compared to the notch route, so I removed it from my map. I recommend just returning back through the notch.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Meeker Peak
8768 ft
1128 rise

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Worthington Mountains Wilderness Trailhead kiosk. We started up a social trail along the slope ahead. Just above the sign is the major notch we're headed for.
Worthington Mountains Wilderness Trailhead kiosk. We started up a social trail along the slope ahead. Just above the sign is the major notch we're headed for.
Then we dropped left into this rocky wash. Note the notch left of center, our first destination.
Then we dropped left into this rocky wash. Note the notch left of center, our first destination.
We headed left at a fork toward the notch seen center.
We headed left at a fork toward the notch seen center.
Ordnance remains within the drainage.
Ordnance remains within the drainage.
View back as we progress to the notch.
View back as we progress to the notch.
It gets steeper and more boulder-hoppy.
It gets steeper and more boulder-hoppy.
Loose terrain as we ascend the gully and up to the notch.
Loose terrain as we ascend the gully and up to the notch.
Navigating through debris. There were often hints of a social trail.
Navigating through debris. There were often hints of a social trail.
Image 8 from gallery
View back down as we navigate around a minor cliff band, Class 2/3.
View back down as we navigate around a minor cliff band, Class 2/3.
View down at a cliff band we had to wrap around.
View down at a cliff band we had to wrap around.
Nearing the top of the notch.
Nearing the top of the notch.
Some light Class 3 scrambling to gain the top of the notch.
Some light Class 3 scrambling to gain the top of the notch.
Above the notch, we used a social trail up the subsequent slope and made it to the ridge to the north of Meeker Peak.
Above the notch, we used a social trail up the subsequent slope and made it to the ridge to the north of Meeker Peak.
We could have dropped down the opposite side and gone down to Leviathan Cave, but we wanted to reach Meeker Peak first. So, we continued south, wrapping well beneath the west side of a sub-peak, side-hilling beneath lots of limestone cliffies.
We could have dropped down the opposite side and gone down to Leviathan Cave, but we wanted to reach Meeker Peak first. So, we continued south, wrapping well beneath the west side of a sub-peak, side-hilling beneath lots of limestone cliffies.
A short Class 3 move along the way.
A short Class 3 move along the way.
Meeker Peak comes into view as we reemerge on the the ridgeline after wrapping around a sub-peak.
Meeker Peak comes into view as we reemerge on the the ridgeline after wrapping around a sub-peak.
Along the ridgeline to Meeker Peak.
Along the ridgeline to Meeker Peak.
View back. We came around from the center of this photo, avoiding the lump seen on the right.
View back. We came around from the center of this photo, avoiding the lump seen on the right.
Gorgeous morning views in central Nevada. The slope ahead was steep and loose.
Gorgeous morning views in central Nevada. The slope ahead was steep and loose.
View back as we ascend the slope.
View back as we ascend the slope.
Approaching the crux, likely the only weakness up the summit cliff band, Class 4.
Approaching the crux, likely the only weakness up the summit cliff band, Class 4.
Matt on the Class 4 crux.
Matt on the Class 4 crux.
Matt starting up the cliff band.
Matt starting up the cliff band.
Some Class 2/3 leads to the summit.
Some Class 2/3 leads to the summit.
Class 3.
Class 3.
View back at the Class 3 below Meeker Peak.
View back at the Class 3 below Meeker Peak.
Meeker Peak summit, view north the way we came.
Meeker Peak summit, view north the way we came.
Meeker Peak summit, view south.
Meeker Peak summit, view south.
After backtracking from Meeker Peak, we descended toward Leviathan Cave, seen center.
After backtracking from Meeker Peak, we descended toward Leviathan Cave, seen center.
Matt coming down the slope.
Matt coming down the slope.
The descent toward Leviathan Cave was really just a dirt slope, but there was one small cliff band we had to find a way around, Class 3. The cave is seen just ahead.
The descent toward Leviathan Cave was really just a dirt slope, but there was one small cliff band we had to find a way around, Class 3. The cave is seen just ahead.
The sinkhole. We rappelled in from the lowest spot, seen left in this photo. In the center is just a false cave, but we explored it anyway.
The sinkhole. We rappelled in from the lowest spot, seen left in this photo. In the center is just a false cave, but we explored it anyway.
We rappelled off a large boulder, but there were small trees we could have used too. I recommend a 100' rope so you can choose from carious anchor options. The drop is only about 30 feet.
We rappelled off a large boulder, but there were small trees we could have used too. I recommend a 100' rope so you can choose from carious anchor options. The drop is only about 30 feet.
Close-up of the rappel.
Close-up of the rappel.
Down into the false cave.
Down into the false cave.
View from within the entrance of the false cave.
View from within the entrance of the false cave.
Navigating into the false cave.
Navigating into the false cave.
Already some cool features to look at.
Already some cool features to look at.
Gorgeous features within the false cave.
Gorgeous features within the false cave.
At the end, looking up at a tall ceiling.
At the end, looking up at a tall ceiling.
Great textures. This was a mosaic that was 20+ feet wide.
Great textures. This was a mosaic that was 20+ feet wide.
Matt inspecting a huge, colorful boulder.
Matt inspecting a huge, colorful boulder.
Lumpy rock formations. I don't know anything about geology. It was just cool to enjoy the various shapes and colors.
Lumpy rock formations. I don't know anything about geology. It was just cool to enjoy the various shapes and colors.
Image 44 from gallery
Matt inspecting some bright-white stuff.
Matt inspecting some bright-white stuff.
We continued to Leviathan Cave.
We continued to Leviathan Cave.
View at the gaping sinkhole. Our rappel entry point is seen center.
View at the gaping sinkhole. Our rappel entry point is seen center.
Down into Leviathan Cave.
Down into Leviathan Cave.
So gorgeous. Matt seen bottom right for scale.
So gorgeous. Matt seen bottom right for scale.
One more shot out before we lost the daylight.
One more shot out before we lost the daylight.
Leviathan Cave is reached through a narrow crawl space. I didn't take a photo, but likely anyone can crawl through. It just required some effort to not get torn up while wearing shorts. This is shortly after entering the cave.
Leviathan Cave is reached through a narrow crawl space. I didn't take a photo, but likely anyone can crawl through. It just required some effort to not get torn up while wearing shorts. This is shortly after entering the cave.
Absolutely fantastic stalagmites and stalactites.
Absolutely fantastic stalagmites and stalactites.
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Image 62 from gallery
This one looked like a weiner.
This one looked like a weiner.
The featured pools found within Leviathan Cave.
The featured pools found within Leviathan Cave.
Image 65 from gallery
Friend shot before heading out.
Friend shot before heading out.

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