Nevada · Hiking

Cahill Canyon Run

Cahill Canyon RunPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
18.0 mi
round trip
1,436 ft
climb
7,900 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Jun, Aug–Oct
best months

Cahill Canyon Run is a hard hike in Nevada's Forest Service land, about 0.7 miles from the town of Austin. The trail is an out-and-back of 18 miles, with a one-way elevation gain of 1,436 feet, taking you from a low point of about 6,832 feet to a high of about 7,900 feet. The most comfortable months for a visit are typically June and September, when typical averages from a nearby weather station in Austin run from highs around 76°F to 75°F and see only a couple of wet days each month. That station sits roughly 1,100 feet below the trail's high point, so temperatures up top run cooler. The trail is open year-round, and bikes are allowed on its natural surface. Castle Loop lies just 0.4 miles away, and Pony Canyon Downhill and Gold Venture Loop are both within about a mile and a half. Bob Scott Campground is about 3.9 miles off.

  • Best time to go · May–Jun, Aug–Oct

    Best time to visit Cahill Canyon Run

    Best months: May–June and August–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      42° / 26°

      6 wet · 5 snow

    2. Feb

      44° / 26°

      5 wet · 4 snow

    3. Mar

      50° / 31°

      6 wet · 4 snow

    4. Apr

      56° / 34°

      6 wet · 3 snow

    5. May

      65° / 43°

      6 wet · 1 snow

    6. Jun

      76° / 51°

      3 wet

    7. Jul

      86° / 59°

      2 wet

    8. Aug

      84° / 58°

      2 wet

    9. Sep

      75° / 50°

      2 wet

    10. Oct

      62° / 40°

      2 wet · 1 snow

    11. Nov

      49° / 31°

      4 wet · 3 snow

    12. Dec

      40° / 25°

      5 wet · 5 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Austin #2, NV, 0.6 mi away at 6,780 ft. The station sits about 1,100 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive

Pony Canyon DownhillPhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Pony Canyon Downhill

~2 min drive

2.40-mile downhill trail in Nevada with 19 ft gain and 978 ft loss.

Gold Venture LoopPhoto: Seth Tisue, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Gold Venture Loop

~2 min drive

44.00-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 3,629 ft elevation gain.

Pony Express LoopPhoto: Matt Lavin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Pony Express Loop

~2 min drive

13.60-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 22 ft elevation gain.

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Castle Loop

Next door

5.20-mile loop trail in Nevada with 613 ft elevation gain.

Bob Scott SlidePhoto: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Bob Scott Slide

~7 min drive

10-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 1,305 ft gain.

Toiyabe Crest TrailPhoto: Seth Tisue, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Toiyabe Crest Trail

~39 min drive

0.33-mile out-and-back hike on Toiyabe Crest Trail in Nevada.

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Bob Scott Slide

~5 min drive

A demanding 4-mile out-and-back singletrack in Nevada connecting to Bob Scott campground, ideal for experienced hikers seeking a hard-difficulty challenge.

Camp Creek National Recreation - CaliforniaPhoto: Seth Tisue, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)

Camp Creek National Recreation - California

~30 min drive

222-mile point-to-point Nevada backcountry trek for experienced long-distance hikers.

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Bob Scott Slide Alternate

~7 min drive

2.80-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 7,316 ft elevation gain.

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TANK CANYON

~11 min drive

1.9-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 816 ft elevation gain and loss.