The Park
The 18 mile drive to the park from Pioche is along paved Hwy 322, initially across an wide plain, then over a low ridge and down towards the shallow canyon of Meadow Valley Wash, here known as
Eagle Valley. Downstream, this leads to similarly small preserve with a reservoir (
Echo Canyon State Park) then, after passing close to
Cathedral Gorge, enters a longer canyon containing another state park,
Kershaw-Ryan. The main road however goes upstream, where the valley becomes briefly wide but soon narrows, and the paved section of the route ends beside the dam forming Eagle Valley Reservoir, at the entrance to Spring Valley State Park. Near here is the day-use area, the boat launch ramp and pier, and Horsethief Gulch Campground, which has 37 sites, and can accommodate RVs up to 35 feet in length. An unpaved road proceeds along the north shore of the reservoir and the edge of the marshy grassland beyond, past two stone buildings to the park headquarters, contained within another historic structure,
Millet Ranch one of several former settlements in the valley; the first was established here by Mormon pioneers in 1864. The smaller (seven site) and more primitive Ranch Campground is just beyond, after which the road continues northwards, exits the park and leads through increasingly remote terrain.