Today I'm visiting the Caliente and Panaca area.

While I'm here, I'm gonna check out a bike park, some of the nearby state parks, and meet some locals who love living in the area.

So let's get to it.

This is Outdoor Nevada.

♪♪♪ I'm Connor Fields, and this is Outdoor Nevada.

♪♪♪ Towns like Caliente are not only rich in history, they are stacked with things to do: camping, hiking, fishing, OHV, equestrian, climbing, mountain biking, and more.

There's a bunch of hidden gems, and one of them is right up my alley.

Let's go check it out.

♪♪♪ Caliente is a budding mountain bike community with sanctioned trails scattered throughout the area.

And there's a bunch out at Kershaw-Ryan State Park, too.

In addition to the sanctioned trails, there's also a skills park.

Places like this are great for developing your skills further, and they're a blast to ride.

Come on.

Mountain bike skills parks are often constructed with a variety of different difficulty levels, catering to riders of all experience levels, from beginner all the way to advanced.

They provide a safe and controlled environment for riders to practice and refine their bike handling skills, balance, agility, and maneuvering techniques, which ultimately enhances their overall performance on the mountain bike trails.

I wish there was more parks like this for riders to enjoy.

Places like this only help you progress and get better.

Out here, there's different things for riders of all skill levels, and it's a ton of fun.

Now it's off to meet up with Ethan with Nevada State Parks.

♪♪♪ First up, the Elgin Schoolhouse.

♪♪♪ Ethan, driving in, this place is gorgeous.

I feel like I'm in a national park, and then, bang, out of nowhere, there's a schoolhouse.

-Schoolhouse.

-Tell me about this place.

(Ethan Mower) Okay, so the Elgin Schoolhouse was built in the early 1920s.

And basically the reason it's here, there's a lot of-- there were farmsteads here prior to the schoolhouse that had teachers that would typically live with the farm families and educate the kids.

But once the railroad came through, then this became a water stop.

Steam locomotives had to stop here, fill up with water before they chugged on up the tracks towards Caliente.

And the kids had to-- there were families living here at that point, more families than just the farms and ranches that were here before.

And so the community, the railroad, they all got together, and they decided that they needed a schoolhouse, and so they built this here to educate the families that were now here due to the railroad.

-What years was the schoolhouse active?

-So the schoolhouse was active from early 1920s all the way through the late 1960s.

-And when did it become a historical landmark like it is today?

-Between the late 1960s and around the late 1990s, it was pretty much abandoned.

There were some family members who owned the land here that lived in the schoolhouse.

Then it was abandoned.

It fell into disrepair.

And then in the late 1990s, that family who originally built the schoolhouse and owned the land, they decided to restore it because they wanted to-- they wanted it to be a museum for the people of the county, for anyone traveling through.

So they got a lot of donations, they got an organization together, and they restored it in the late 1990s and then they donated it to State Parks a short time after.

-And why do you think it's important to preserve this history for future generations?

-I mean, the schoolhouse, when you walk inside, you're just hit immediately with this sense of history, the smell, the sight of the artifacts inside.

And it's a really important part of a lot of America's frontier heritage.

You know, the 1920s we were well past the initial westward expansion, well past Manifest Destiny at that point, but this was still very much a pioneer place.

And there's a lot of heritage, especially in this area.

So this is part of America's academic heritage, how we educated kids, the importance they placed on that at the time.

And then it's also a huge part of the railroad heritage around here as well, which really defined, along with mining, this whole region.

And so it's just important for people to be able to connect with their past, because if we don't, you know, it doesn't feel like ancient history to us now, but if we don't preserve it now, we'll never have it going forward.

-Right.

And what goes into preserving something like this and the ongoing conservation?

-Yeah, so there's a lot that we have to do.

We're putting in landscaping, and so we've got to drill a well, we've got to get water down here.

As you can see, we've been scraping old paint off.

We're getting ready to repaint the schoolhouse.

That's why you see some of the bare wood showing through.

So there's just a constant attack on this building from the elements.

We've got woodpeckers drilling holes in the sides of the building.

And so there's a lot of physical maintenance that goes along with that.

But in addition to that, we're also trying to cultivate a sense of stewardship for the people in the area and people traveling through.

I've had a lot of people that have helped me keep this safe from vandalism and from events like that happening down here.

So just by having it here, having it open, showing people the inside and educating about its history, we get a real sense of stewardship from the local community as well to help us preserve this.

-What do you see for the future of the schoolhouse?

-Great things.

I'm super passionate about this place, and so the future just includes more trees, more landscaping, a nicer picnic table, better places to spend some time, because, as you can feel, it's really hot right now.

So we're trying to create more of a shady spot for people to spend time after they experience the schoolhouse.

-And if somebody did want to come experience it, how would they go about doing that?

-They can call the park office, Kershaw-Ryan State Park.

We manage the schoolhouse down here.

We're not around the phone a lot, so if you just leave a voicemail, we'll get back to you.

And I show it by appointment.

I need a couple weeks lead time, obviously, to get it on my calendar and find either me or other people who can come down here and show this.

I also, it's on the first Saturday of every month, all year long, I have it open from early morning to late afternoon, and we're trying to be as consistent with that as possible so that everyone can rely on at least that one day a month.

-When I was in school, it wasn't my favorite.

But I love Nevada and I love history.

Could I pop my head in and check it out?

-Yeah, let's go to school.

-All right.

♪♪♪ Who came here to this school, because I don't see a neighborhood around.

So where did the students live?

Where did the teacher live?

Was there staff?

-So originally when they built the schoolhouse, the teacher had to find their own housing, and usually that was with a family in the area.

A couple years later, after the completion the initial schoolhouse, they built an apartment on back, and then there was what they call a teacherage.

So that's, the teacher lived here in the schoolhouse.

So roll out of bed, come out here, and you're at work.

-Literally connected to the schoolhouse?

-Connected to this schoolhouse, yep.

It was a plum assignment after that.

They almost-- they had plenty of teachers wanting this assignment based on the fact that housing was provided.

As far as where the kids came from, you don't see the buildings now, but there used to be what I'm told is a bustling town of 10 to 15 buildings, 10 to 15 houses.

So that's how many people there were here.

It was scattered all through around the tracks right here.

And so the kids who attended school were from this town of Elgin.

And there are some outlying ranches to the south and to the north, and they would ride their horses here.

They'd tie the horses to the, to the porch outside, and then when school was over, they'd hop on the horse.

-Hop on the horse and ride home.

-Uh-huh.

If fact, some of the old students that are still living in Caliente, they come down here and they talk about how they would actually ride their horse into the schoolhouse when the teacher wasn't around and wasn't looking.

-That is unbelievable.

I feel this is the one place where you could actually say, I used to walk uphill in snow barefoot to school both ways.

-Right.

Except there was no snow here.

It's pretty hot.

-While I'm in the area, what else should check out?

-So we got Kershaw-Ryan State Park about 20 miles to the north of here.

This is a real hot and sunny place down here.

That's a very cool, shady place, the opposite of what we got going on.

-I like the sounds of that.

Let's hit it.

-All right.

Let's go.

♪♪♪ -This is stunning.

It is absolutely not what I would expect.

I wouldn't expect a koi fish pond, roses, a swimming pool.

It's gorgeous.

-Mature trees, the shade.

It's really great, isn't it?

-Volleyball court, all sorts of stuff around here.

-Yeah, it's an oasis, for sure.

-I guess the secret's out.

This place is busy today.

-This place ebbs and flows.

People love it.

Sometimes there's a lot of folks.

Sometimes there's nobody and you get the place to yourself.

It's real peaceful up here most of the time.

-Absolutely.

And people who come here today, what can they expect?

-So we got a lot of things to do.

We got volleyball courts up here.

We got horseshoes.

We got a wading pool down there.

We've got all this shade.

It's great for picnics, for family reunions, and that's kind of its main purpose, is as a gathering place for people to come and have a good time.

We've got ramadas, pavilions that can be reserved for those kinds of things.

We've got hiking trails, biking trails.

You could spend days here just exploring.

-And all the mature trees on a hot summer day, coming here would be a great place to cool down.

-Oh, yeah, for sure.

It's 10 degrees cooler up here than it is in the surrounding area, just because of the trees, the shade, and the water that's here.

-And what goes into maintaining the park and making sure it stays, you know, kept well?

-So there's-- we do a ton of landscaping here.

We grow our own flowers.

We plant those flowers.

We start them from seed.

We plan where we're going to plant stuff.

There's irrigation.

We got to water the lawns.

We got to clean the pool.

We got to maintain these gravel paths.

There's all of the trails.

We've got about 15 miles of hiking trails that we've got to keep, you know, clear and enjoyable-- -Ready to go.

- --for people.

There's a ton of physical labor that goes into this park.

-Well, you'd mentioned that there's 15 miles of hiking trails, you said?

-There is, yep.

-It's a beautiful day.

I'd love to hit one.

Which one?

-I would suggest the Overlook trail.

It's about a half a mile, a loop.

It starts up here, and it'll put you out down there.

And it overlooks all this right here, so let's go hike that one.

-Let's hit it.

-All right.

-The hiking trails at Kershaw-Ryan State Park offer a mix of easy and moderate paths through stunning desert landscapes and vibrant canyon vegetation.

♪♪♪ The trails are family friendly and provide opportunities for picnicking, wildlife viewing, and taking in panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.

♪♪♪ That was an awesome trail.

-Yeah, wasn't it?

-I think that that trail, as well as this whole park, is one of the most unique state parks I've been to in Nevada.

-Yeah, it's a great place.

I love it here.

Everybody who comes here always has a great time.

-I can't wait for more people to get out here and see it for themselves.

But today, there's a ton of people here.

There's a lot of activity and things going on.

I'm sure you've got some things to do.

Thanks again for showing me around.

-All right, anytime.

Come back anytime.

-Next up, Beaver Dam State Park.

I'll be meeting up with my friend Dawn, one of Nevada State Park's best interpreters.

Beaver Dam State Park is an amazing place.

This is a true getaway destination for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts.

We made it.

We're at the Waterfall Trailhead.

-We are.

-What can I expect?

(Dawn Andone) This is more of a moderate trail, so you definitely want to have water with you and different things like that, because it's about two miles up and back, but it is a little bit more arduous.

When we get to the waterfall, that's all going to depend on how much precip we've had this year.

So we might have a lot of water coming over it, or it might be just a little trickle.

-So it's kind of a surprise when you get there, if it's a waterfall or water drip.

-Right, yeah.

Pretty much, yeah.

-Well, I'm warmed up.

I'm ready.

Let's hit the trail.

-All right.

Sounds good.

-The Waterfall Trail is a short, yet rewarding hike leading to a picturesque seasonal waterfall.

Surrounded by lush vegetation and unique rock formations, the trail showcases the park's tranquil and rugged beauty.

Ideal for nature lovers, the trail offers opportunities for photography, bird watching, and enjoying the serene desert oasis.

♪♪♪ -Dawn, this is incredible.

It's one of the most peaceful spots I've ever been.

Thank you for taking me on this hike and bringing me to this place.

-You're so welcome.

I mean, wouldn't this be a great place to sit and draw or read a book or something, the lovely sound of the waterfall behind us.

And I have to say, this is the most water I've seen come over this waterfall, so we picked a really good time.

-We got lucky, or maybe it's just showing off for us.

-For you, specifically.

-I tell you what, though, that hike on the way up here, it was no joke.

There were parts of it that had loose footing.

You had to climb a bit.

Got the boots wet.

It was no joke getting up here.

-Yeah, no, it's true.

That's why I said that it's moderate and more arduous.

So yeah, it borders-- and there's been a few little washouts here and there over the years, too, so it made it even a little bit more on the difficult side in some areas.

-Well, thank you for taking me up here.

I tell you, I've been all over Nevada, and this is a very unique place.

-It is.

-And it is truly beautiful.

Really, it's beautiful.

And I just had a blast.

Thank you.

-Oh, I'm so glad.

I'm glad you enjoyed it.

We love it here, and I'm glad you do, too.

-Now I'm off to ride one of Caliente's many mountain bike trails.

I'll be meeting up with Bryan, a local rider and seasonal worker with Nevada State Parks.

I met Bryan at the Boar's Head trail.

Tell me what I can expect when we're out there today.

(Bryan Chesser) Well, we'll be starting out, you know, on a kind of a beginner to intermediate trail.

It's pretty low-key at first, and it gets more technical as we get further up.

Then we'll be dropping down on Boar's Head.

That's what I'm really excited to show you.

It gets a lot more technical, some rock drop-offs, some stuff I think you'll like a lot and a lot of twists and turns.

And I think, think it'll be fun.

-You said my favorite word, which is "down."

Going down is a lot more fun than going up.

You got to work to go up, but going down, you get to enjoy the ride.

-For sure.

Yeah, it'll be a blast coming down.

Be a lot quicker than it was going up.

-Well, let's hit it?

Let's go ride together.

-Let's do it.

♪♪♪ -You ready to ride?

-Absolutely.

-All right, show me the way.

♪♪♪ This is a scenic hiking and biking trail that winds through the rugged desert landscapes and unique rock formations.

Known for its moderate difficulty, the trail offers stunning views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.

It is a favorite with riders I've spoken with.

I'm looking forward to this one.

♪♪♪ Man, that was a blast.

I've driven through Lincoln County so many times, and I had no idea you had such amazing mountain bike trails back here.

-Yeah, it really is.

It's a well-kept secret, but getting a lot more popular as the years go on.

-I'm definitely gonna have to come back now that I've ridden it and know what to expect, and really get after it.

-For sure.

Yeah, I look forward to having you out here again.

-Let's do it.

-Let's do it.

-My next meetup is with some new friends, Josh and Hunter.

They are locals who are also part of Lincoln County's Fire and Rescue team.

Today, I will be trusting them with my life.

They're taking me on a rappelling expedition off a couple-hundred-foot cliff.

Look at that!

That is beautiful.

-Isn't it?

-What kind of rocks are those?

-They're volcanic.

-Are those the ones we're gonna rappel down?

No.

We're gonna go across the way.

-All right.

More hiking.

Let's do it.

-All right.

I'll follow you.

-Before we hiked up to the high point of the cliff, we did an equipment check and talked through every single aspect of the process.

Safety first, always.

I have to admit I was nervous, but with every step and all the questions I had, my confidence grew.

I knew I was in good hands.

These guys are true professionals.

-Yep, it's a little intimidating right at the top, but once you start getting into it and get on that wall, it's a lot of fun.

-That whole human instinct of don't go down this cliff starts to kick in.

-Yep, self-preservation kicks in.

We'll get over that.

-Here we go.

Let's do it.

Once we hiked up, the conversation continued.

Every step, discussed and explained.

-And then what you're going to do is, use your belt to run that on, just keep that rope right there.

Put it all the way behind your back, your hand behind your back, as far as you can on the middle.

And you're going to use this hand over here.

That's a guide.

Keep it away from this so you don't get any glove or fingers stuck in there.

Then I want you to slowly let some rope out without moving your feet.

You're gonna just lean back a little bit.

So just start leaning back, get that pressure on there.

Keep going a little bit further, and put your hand behind your back.

Feel that stop you?

Feel pretty comfortable with that?

That's how you're going to feel on the rock.

When you get to that edge, you're going to work into this degree about right here.

That pressure is your feet against the rock.

And then it's just nice wide feet.

-I feel like I'll lose my footing.

-Yeah, it's a little loose up here.

Nice thing about the rock is it's solid.

Once you get on that, it's just going to be small steps.

So don't worry about what's behind you.

-I was feeling pretty good about the process the entire day, when we were talking through the equipment and the steps, walking up the hill, but when we got to the edge and it was finally time, every cell in my body told me not to do this.

You're stepping backwards off of a cliff 200 feet off the ground.

I took a deep breath, I reminded myself that I was in safe hands, and I took the step.

And right away when I took the step, I loved it.

It was so cool.

What an amazing experience it was.

And you can't beat the adrenaline rush.

-There you go.

♪♪♪ -That was so much fun, something I never thought I would do, but it was a blast.

Thank you for showing me how to do it and keeping me safe.

-Oh, you're welcome, man.

That's number one priority is keeping you safe, right?

-I would definitely do it again.

-Good.

You should come back out.

♪♪♪ -This has been a fantastic adventure.

The parks, the trails, the people, I had a blast.

Caliente and the surrounding area have so much to offer, not just for the weekend adventurer, but for the whole family, too.

I hope you'll make time to come out and explore it yourself.

Till next time, I'm Connor Fields, and this is Outdoor Nevada.