Great Basin National Park, located in eastern Nevada, about a 4.5-hour drive north of Las Vegas, is well off the beaten path. As one of the least visited national parks in the United States, you can look forward to a pristine wilderness experience with ancient bristlecone pine forests, an awe-inspiring mountain landscape, exceptionally dark skies along with more solitude than most national parks offer.
Once in Baker, Nevada – the gateway to the national park, you can choose from a scenic drive that transports you from 5,300 feet to 10,000 feet, a guided tour of the famous Lehman Caves, one of the many hikes including a summit of Wheeler Peak at 13,063 feet, a stargazing experience, or simply enjoying all the nature around you.
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When to Visit Great Basin National Park
Great Basin National Park is open year-round, but most people visit from May until late September, even into October. That’s when campgrounds are open, trails are accessible, the weather is good, and you can do the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive – a high elevation road that gets closed for part of the year because of snow.
In summer you will have to contend with higher temperatures, so consider a trip in the fall when they moderate.
You won’t find many people visiting Great Basin National Park from November to March, but the locals rave about it for the snowshoeing and stargazing. The Great Basin National Park Visitor Centre in Baker closes in the winter but the Lehman Caves are open year-round – but with reduced hours.
Hazards in Great Basin National Park
Weather in Great Basin
The weather can change quickly in Great Basin because it’s a mountain environment. The weather forecast can be dramatically different between Baker (5,308 feet) and the Wheeler Peak Campground (9,886 feet). The higher you go, the colder and windier it usually is. In the summer, thunderstorms are a common occurrence.
Check the weather forecast before you go, especially if you plan to hike up Wheeler Peak.
Altitude
The altitude even in Baker can affect you. If you’re planning to camp up at the Wheeler Peak Campground and you’re not acclimatized, you may get a very bad headache and feel nauseous. Drink lots of water and continue eating. If you feel worse, descend. That should help. And don’t push it physically.
Top 10+ things to do in Great Basin National Park
The following things to do in Great Basin National Park are based on what John and I did with a view exceptions. We nixed the Rock Glacier hike as were tuckered out and we should have made the effort to go back into the park for the dark skies and some seriously good stargazing – so don’t make our mistake.
Climb Wheeler Peak – the second highest peak in Nevada
On our second day in Great Basin National Park, John and I got up at 4:45 AM so we could get a parking spot in the one lot that was open in fall 2024 near the end of Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. We were hiking by 6 AM so we could beat any potential thunderstorms that often occur from noon on.
The hike up Wheeler Peak is a challenging one as it climbs 3,100 feet over 4.4 miles. If you’re not acclimatized, you’ll feel the lack of oxygen and you may suffer from altitude sickness. It you’re spending two or three days in Great Basin National Park, choose to do the hike on the second or third day as you’ll be better acclimatized.
The reward for those who make it to the summit are panoramic mountain views on a clear day extending up to 100 miles. You’ll also feel a great sense of accomplishment.
Hike the Alpine Lakes Loop
The Alpine Lakes loop in Great Basin National Park can be accessed from two parking lots – including the Bristlecone trailhead at the very end of Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive (it was closed for most of the 2024 season but should be open in 2025) and the smaller parking lot that also provides access to the Wheeler Peak hike.
If you hike from the Bristlecone trailhead, you can do the alpine lake loop in under 3 miles. Pass both Teresa and Stella Lakes while hiking through a mix of pretty meadows and forest. The backdrop is stunning Wheeler Peak pictured below. You’ll also see 12,775-foot-high Doso Doyabi.
Hike to the Bristlecone Pine Grove
If you’re already hiking the Alpine Lakes Loop, I highly recommend you add on the out and back hike to the Bristlecone Grove where you’ll find both bristlecone and limber pines. The total mileage will then be 4.1 miles from the Bristlecone parking lot.
Both bristlecone and limber pines grow at an elevation between 9,000 and 11,500 feet. Bristlecone pines grow slowly – adding only one inch to their girth every 100 years. Fortunately, they also die slowly. Parts of the tree can remain alive with only a few living roots.
I love the beauty of the bristlecone pine bark. There’s something too about what these trees have seen over their lifetime. The oldest living bristlecone pines in Great Basin are 4,000 plus years old and some of the dead ones are 5,000 years old. That’s mind-blowing to me.
Check out Rock Glacier
Rock Glacier is another mile past Bristlecone Pine Grove. We did not go there as we’d already climbed Wheeler Peak and were ready for a break.
The Lehman rock glacier is a large mass of boulders bound together by ice. You can see it from both the Glacier Trail and the Summit Trail.
Do a hike in the Baker Creek area
We did the 5.1-mile Baker – Timber Creek loop hike that climbs 1,610 feet, so it’s surprisingly strenuous. We did it in a counterclockwise direction, so most of the climbing was one in the first few miles.
The hike takes you through pine forest to a large meadow with views of Pyramid Peak and eventually Wheeler Peak. If you have more time, there is the option to add on a side trip to Baker and/or Johnson Lake. You’d have a full day of hiking if that is the case.
Take a tour of the Lehman Caves
The Lehman Caves are well worth an hour of your time. The caves in Great Basin National Park are open year-round – with reduced hours in winter. It’s a good idea to book a tour ahead of time on Recreation.gov so you aren’t disappointed.
We did the 60-minute tour which was the perfect amount of time, though there’s an option to do a 90-minute tour. On a very hot day, the caves are an especially great place to be as the temperature remains a constant 50 degrees Fahrenheit year-round!
Caves formed in the marble rock are filled with beautiful stalactites, stalagmites, popcorn, and cave bacon or layered flowstone. Lehman Caves also hosts cave shields – pictured below – “a world-class example of condensation corrosion, a process that is still enlarging the cave. “
Stargazing in Great Basin
Great Basin National Park is home to an International Dark Sky Park – and some of the darkest skies in the lower 48. There are two main reasons for that. The park is in one of the least populated areas in the contiguous US and the basin and range topography in the area helps shield it from “skyglow”.
With its high elevation and little light pollution, you can see a lot with the naked eye. Look for stars, planets, star clusters, satellites, meteors, the Andromeda Galaxy and the Milky Way on clear, moonless nights.
In the summer you can join a two-hour astronomy program, offered every Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. It’s free and no reservations are required, but it may get cancelled if the skies are completely cloudy or it’s stormy. You can check in with the Visitor Centre to find out about starting times.
Do the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive
I highly recommend the 12-mile Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. Pass through numerous ecological zones as you wind 4,000 feet up the through the mountains in the South Snake Range. Enjoy superb views over the Great Basin Desert. It was along this drive we saw a beautiful bull elk with a huge rack.
Around the Lehman Caves at 7,000 feet, you’ll see a lot of sagebrush. Add 1,000 feet and you’ll be into a zone filled with pinyon pines and junipers. Curleaf Mountain Mahogany comes into views at about 8,500 feet and by 9,000 feet you’re into a world of Douglas fir, white fir, and ponderosa pine. At 10,000 feet look for white-barked aspen trees. They are stunning in the fall.
Mather Overlook
You’ll find a big parking lot and washrooms at the Mather Overlook. Enjoy excellent views of the Wheeler Cirque.
Wheeler Peak Overlook
This overlook, with viewing scopes, is about 9 miles up the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. Enjoy grand views of Wheeler Peak and Doso Doyabi.
Catch a sunrise or sunset
I have a hard time getting up for a sunrise but come September they are at slightly more civilized hours. This one was a beauty. I took the shot on the way up to the parking lot for the Wheeler Peak hike. There was a small pullover and with no one around, so it was easy to get the shot.
I captured the sunset photo after dinner in Baker. We were driving around town and started heading back up the road towards Great Basin National Park. What a beautiful sight it was.
Visit the Great Basin National Park Visitor Information Centre in Baker
It’s worth spending 30 minutes checking out the exhibits at the Great Basin National Park Visitor Centre. John and I love the exhibits and learning about the geology, the types of birds and animals we might see in the national park.
The Visitor Centre is also a good place to pick up a map and bird list, get some local intel, and even fill your water bottles – as there is an outdoor fountain, so you can do it at any time of the day.
Look for wildlife in Great Basin National Park
On our hikes in the park, we saw lots of mule deer. I saw one lone elk on the way up Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive in the early morning. You may also see marmots, bighorn sheep, and even mountain lions. We didn’t carry bear spray – something we must do in the Canadian Rockies, so that was a treat.
Birds in Great Basin National Park
There are five unique habitats that support 200 species of birds in Great Basin National Park. partly because of the difference in altitude between Baker (5,280 feet) and the end of Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive at 10,000 feet.
At lower elevations in the sagebush grasslands look for horned larks, western kingbirds, loggerhead shrikes and the long-billed curlew as examples. At the highest elevation near a small rock glacier you may spot rosy finches, rock wrens and the common raven. We saw wild turkeys in a meadow below Wheeler Peak.
Other bird types to look for include downy and hairy woodpeckers, bushtits, brown-headed cowbirds, and red-naped sapsuckers. The bottom line – pick up a bird list at the Visitor Centre and carry a pair of binoculars.
Great Basin National Park itinerary
I would recommend a visit of two to three days, depending on how interested you are in hiking, climbing Wheeler Peak, and stargazing.
If you only have one day
- Do the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive.
- Hike to the Bristlecone pine grove and Teresa Lake.
- Check out the exhibits in the Visitor Centre.
- Catch the evening 2-hour astronomy program.
For those of you with two days
- Hike up Wheeler Peak, getting an early morning start.
- Do a quick side trip to Stella Lake on the way down. It’s a good place for lunch.
- If you have a high clearance vehicle you could check out the Lexington Arch in the southern part of Great Basin National Park – something we weren’t able to do.
If you have three days
- Book a tour of the Lehman Caves. (It could also be done in mid-afternoon after climbing Wheeler Peak.)
- Do one of the hikes out of the Baker Creek area.
- Stock up on snacks and cold drinks at the Bristlecone General Store before heading to your next destination.
Great Basin National Park campgrounds
There are five campgrounds within the national park. None of them offer potable water, cell phone connectivity – or an internet connection. All come with vault toilets, picnic tables and fire rings. Some have ADA campsites.
To book Great Basin campgrounds that accept reservations visit Recreation.gov. All of them, save for the free Snake Creek campgrounds, cost $20/night, and $10 for seniors and access pass holders.
Lower Lehman Creek Campground – (elevation 7,300 feet)
Sites: 11 with one ADA site just minutes from the Lehman Caves.
Reservations: Book online. Open year round.
Upper Lehman Creek Campground – (elevation – 7,500 feet)
Sites: 22 with 2 ADA sites.
Reservations: Book online. Usually open June – October.
Amenities: Seasonal amphitheater; easy access to Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, RVs allowed with maximum length 40 feet
Wheeler Peak Campground – (elevation 9,886 feet)
Sites: 37
Reservations: First come, first served. Usually open from May to October. Can be cold even in summer.
Amenities: Great access to the Wheeler Peak trailhead. Maximum length of RV’s is 24 feet.
Baker Creek Campground – (elevation 7,500 feet)
Sites: 38 with three ADA sites.
Reservations: First come, first served. Usually open from May to October.
Amenities: Seasonal amphitheater. Quieter than the Lehman Creek campgrounds.
Grey Cliffs Campground – (elevation 7,115 feet)
Sites: 15 with two ADA campsites near the Baker Creek area.
Reservations: First come, first served and reservations. Usually open from Memorial Day to Labour Day.
Amenities: RVs and trailers not allowed.
Snake Creek Campgrounds – a primitive campsite with no camping fees
Sites: 12
Reservations: First come, first served and tent only for a maximum of 14 days. Usually open from May until October.
Amenities: RV’s with a maximum length of 30 feet.
Amenities in Baker, Nevada
Where to stay
If you don’t want to camp in Great Basin National Park, then your best bet is to stay in Baker, Nevada. There aren’t a lot of choices for overnight accommodation so reserve in high season.
We stayed at the Stargazer Inn associated with the Bristlecone General Store. The rooms are cozy, coffee is provided, and there are healthy eats to purchase at the general store.
Another option is theWhispering Elms Motel & RV Parkor theEnd of the Trail and Great Basin Bunkhouse, five miles from the entrance to Great Basin National Park.
Where to eat in Baker
You can buy healthy food at the Bristlecone General Store but if you want to go to a restaurant try the Sugar, Salt & Malt Restaurant. The 487 Grill serves hamburgers and Sandra’s Mexican Food is a food truck with outdoor seating. Everything is within a few blocks of each other.
More reading on great things to do in the western United States
- A Hiker’s Paradise – Lamoille, Liberty and Favre Lakes (Nevada)
- Best Hikes Near Kanab, Utah
- The Fairyland Loop Trail in Bryce Canyon
- Utah Road Trip: Sights Between Moab & Capitol Reef
- Magical Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park
- Best Hikes in Snow Canyon State Park
Thank you to Travel Nevada for making this trip possible. I loved my two days in Great Basin National Park.
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