Dayton State Park is a 160-acre park at the foot of the Virginia Range on the banks of the Carson River. It holds the remains of the Rock Point Mill, built in 1861 as one of the first Comstock Lode ore processors. The site was originally a Paiute fishing and winter camp before becoming a mining hub after gold was discovered in 1849. The park has ten campsites for RVs up to 34 feet, a dump station, and restrooms. Visitors fish, hike, picnic, hold group gatherings, geocache, and watch wildlife such as hawks, foxes, and porcupines among the cottonwood groves. It is open year-round, seven days a week.