Nevada’s Hidden Cave & Grimes Point Offer a Window Into the Past

By Photojournalist Richard Massey

Hidden Cave and nearby Grimes Point are major Nevada archeological sites. Located just eleven miles east of Fallon, it is an easy day trip from Yerington and is one of my favorite locations to take out-of-town guests. I highly recommend it as an addition to anyone’s bucket list.  

The museum has many displays depicting the history of Churchill County. Even if you don’t plan on visiting Hidden Cave or Grimes Point, be sure to visit this wonderful little gem of a museum.

On the way to Hidden Cave be sure to stop at Grimes Point and walk along an easy trail that meanders among hundreds of interesting petroglyphs.

Over thousands of years, Hidden Cave has served as shelter and storage for the Paiutes. The area is home to an amazing variety of petroglyphs…especially at Grimes Point. The entrance to Hidden Cave is locked and is only accessible by joining one of the tours through the Churchill County Museum in Fallon. Even if you can’t join one of the tours, Grimes Point and the trail leading up to Hidden Cave are well worth the tip.

The trail from the Hidden Cave parking lot leads to some beautiful views of the valley below and is home to many caves, overhangs, and numerous petroglyphs.

This is Sarah Morey on the trail to Hidden cave. She is taking a picture of the valley floor in the distance. At one time, where she is standing was several hundred feet underwater and was part of Lake Lahontan. Above her are beautiful bubble tufa formations (out of view). This tufa only forms underwater.

Among the overhangs you will find some of the most unique tufa formations in the southwest. Tufa formations are the result of mineral-rich waters percolating out of the ground and can only form when underwater. As you stand under these formations and look down at the valley floor several hundred feet below, remember that where you are standing was once underwater when the tufa was forming. This will give you an idea of just how large Lake Lahontan was! 

It is an easy drive to Grimes Point, just off Hwy 50. Here you will find a comfortable shaded picnic area, bathrooms, and an easy hiking trail that leads to hundreds of petroglyphs.

From Grimes Point, Hidden Cave is just half a mile north along a well-maintained dirt road. The parking area is spacious and has pit toilets. My favorite petroglyph is on the large rock at the southern end of the parking lot. This horned toad glyph looks as though it was placed there yesterday, not hundreds of years ago! 

Richard’s friend & photographer, Robin Travis, is seen here entering Hidden Cave. Although the entrance it small, the cave is quite large.

Ranger Dave (with the BLM) was our guide and is pointing out the many white tags that identify distinct layers of sediment that have formed over thousands of years. These layers tell a remarkable story of the history of the area. Presently, there is ongoing research, and new discoveries are happening on a regular basis.

Tours of Hidden Cave can be arranged through the Churchill County Museum in Fallon. https://www.ccmuseum.org/