Panaca is a small farming town in eastern Nevada, close to the Utah line and only a few minutes from Cathedral Gorge State Park. It is one of the oldest non-Native settlements in southern Nevada, founded by Mormon settlers in the 1860s, and it still feels more like a quiet church-and-irrigation town than a Nevada gambling stop.
The town itself is modest, but the surroundings make it worth a look if you are driving US-93 or staying in nearby Pioche. Cathedral Gorge is the main reason to come: pale clay spires, slot-like passages, and desert light that changes by the hour. Panaca adds a bit of local history, from the old ward chapel to Court Rock and the charcoal kilns east of town.
Do not expect nightlife. Panaca is famously dry and gambling-free, which is almost the point. Come with fuel, water, and daylight, then spend your time in the gorge and the open country around it.