Located in Elko County, Nevada, Cave Creek Nevada is a cave. It lies in or next to California National Historic Trail, so park hours, fees and rules apply. It sits roughly 59 km (37 mi) S of Spring Creek.
From the National Park Service
Cave Creek is a 4-foot-wide, gushing stream that bursts from a rocky hollow at the base of Pearl Peak on the east side of Nevada’s Ruby Mountains. The Donner-Reed Party, lagging weeks behind other westbound wagons on the newly opened Hastings Cutoff, camped near Cave Creek on Sept. 19, 1846. James Frazier Reed, perhaps muddled by stress and exhaustion, jotted a garbled entry in his journal that evening: “Encamped at a large Spring breaking out of from the and part of large Rock Stream la[r]ge enough to turn one pr [pair] Stone.” He was probably referring to a pair of millstones, a common 19th century way of describing the power of a stream’s flow. Curiously, no known 1850 emigrant journals mention Cave Spring by name or description. Travelers that year may have simply relied on the dozens of springs that bubbled from the floor of Ruby Valley. After 1850, emigrants abandoned the difficult Hastings route altogether. A small settlement developed along Cave Creek in the 1860s to serve soldiers stationed at nearby Fort Ruby. The federal government purchased the land and established the area as a national wildlife refuge in 1937. Both Cave Creek and Fort Ruby lie within the refuge. To visit Cave Springs, drive south from Wells, Nevada, on US-93 for about 28 miles, then turn right (southwest) on NV-229. After 15 miles, the road curves left (south) and merges with NV-767/Ruby Valley Rd. Continue about 33 miles to Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Park at the headquarters lot and walk along the road for 130 yards. The trailhead, on the right, is marked with “Public Access Route” and “Foot Entry Only” signs. The trail climbs about ¼ mile to Cave Spring, gaining less than 75 feet in elevation. A metal gate blocks entry to the cave, but visitors can view the creek from the trail. Site Information Location (The trailhead for the path to Cave Creek is on the west side of Ruby Valley Rd in Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge, about 130 yards south of headquarters entrance. GPS Trailhead 40.200770 -115.492638 GPS t-rail marker 40.201088 -115.492613.) Safety Considerations More Site Information California National Historic Trail
Text: National Park Service (public domain) — nps.gov.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cave Creek Nevada the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 73° in summer but only 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:46 AM | 90° E | 6:54 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 58° ENE | 8:16 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 02m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:30 AM | 89° E | 6:41 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:02 AM | 121° ESE | 4:20 PM | 240° WSW | 26° | 9h 18m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Caves are lit artificially — show caves have fixed lighting, so a fast lens and high ISO beat flash, which flattens formations.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:33 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:45 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 38m |
| February | 6:08 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:14 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:18 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 6:27 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:13 PM | 6:49 PM | 7:16 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:36 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:41 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:49 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 4:56 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:51 PM | 8:22 PM | 14h 24m |
| June | 4:40 AM | 5:13 AM | 5:54 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:47 PM | 15h 01m |
| July | 4:54 AM | 5:26 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:43 PM | 14h 46m |
| August | 5:25 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:10 PM | 13h 47m |
| September | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:59 AM | 6:17 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:26 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:04 PM | 6:31 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 5:59 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:09 AM | 3:46 PM | 4:26 PM | 4:56 PM | 9h 58m |
| December | 6:28 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:41 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:18 PM | 4:48 PM | 9h 20m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Cave Creek Nevada, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| February | 4:59 AM – 4:59 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:10 AM – 5:20 AM | 1.2 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:58 AM – 4:18 AM | 2.3 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:03 AM – 3:33 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:18 PM – 3:08 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 1:39 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:23 PM – 11:43 PM | 2.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:25 PM – 9:35 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:34 PM – 7:34 PM | 0.0 | 11° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 1 Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.94 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 31% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (69%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 62 | 64 | 73 | 81 | 92 | 98 | 100 | 98 | 95 | 83 | 70 | 54 |
| Low °F | -18 | -6 | -1 | 15 | 19 | 27 | 42 | 40 | 26 | 8 | -8 | -21 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 2.0 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this cave
- Never touch formations — skin oils stop their growth.
- Follow White-nose Syndrome decontamination rules where posted to protect bats.
- Many show caves restrict tripods on tours; ask in advance or bring a small beanbag.
- Use manual focus with focus peaking in low light.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
Season: Cave interiors stay at a constant temperature year-round; summer tours fill up, so book ahead.
Suggested gear: Fast lens (f/1.8–f/2.8), High-ISO camera, Small beanbag. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Cave Creek Nevada, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cave Creek Nevada?
What time is golden hour at Cave Creek Nevada?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cave Creek Nevada?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cave Creek Nevada?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cave Creek Nevada?
How far is Cave Creek Nevada from Spring Creek?
Sources
Location data: National Park Service. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.