Leviathan Cave, Nevada

Leviathan Cave is a massive hypogenic cave system on a west-facing slope in the Worthington Mountain Range, a few hours north of Las Vegas. The large solutional cavity collapsed on itself, creating a 120x60ft entrance at 7,600ft elevation. Approach: 30 miles of dirt road then a 2,000ft scramble up a 45-55 degree couloir. We carried 30-50lb overnight packs for a full cave bivouac.

Three hours car to cave. Inside: desert micro-ecosystem at the bottom — grass fields, oversized piñon pines, thorny-leafed trees. Bats flew through the golden-lit entrance walls. Three main passages: the crystal mosaic room (pink quartz piles, pastel walls), the coral room (bulb formations, moonmilk, popcorn), and the dome room (flowstone like a frozen waterfall). A previously unmapped room found with two more passages beyond.

The night sky cast electric blue through the entrance as bats flew around. Morning light blazed the ceiling — birds echoing in the amphitheater. Leviathan has fascinating hypogenic morphology working in concert with solutional limestone properties: pockets of limestone and sandstone at different heights. Our expectations were completely blown away. Please help keep this cave pristine — reach out to the Nevada Cave Survey or Southern Nevada Grotto.

🎒 Gear for this: Petzl Tikka Headlamp · Petzl Vertex Helmet