Overview
Great Basin National Park is a beautiful combination of desert valleys, cacti, sagebrush, snow-capped mountain peaks, and forests of aspen and ancient bristlecone pine trees. It is a relic of fascinating geologic action – evidenced by its numerous cave systems and basin and range formations. The park boasts more than 660 species of plant and animal life, from mountain lions to jackrabbits. It is a prime destination for star-gazing, bird watching, horseback riding, fishing, camping, hiking, fossil-hunting, rockhounding, and exploring.
Key Attractions
- Great Basin Visitors Center
- Open May-September, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Located north of Baker, NV on the west side of Hwy 487
- Bookstore – open in the visitors center year-round
- Lehman Caves – one of the most spectacular cave systems in the country, displaying grand rooms, stalactites, stalagmites, popcorn, flowstone, helictites, and over 300 rare shield formations
- Tours given year-round (excluding Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day)
- Tickets can be purchased in person at the visitors center or in advance (755.234-7331 x 242)
- Lehman Caves Visitors Center –
- Open year-round, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Lehman Caves Café and Gift Shop – open in the visitors center from late May – the middle of October (summer season)
- Wheeler Peak – 8.6 miles, moderate to challenging – provides stunning views of the basin and beautiful ecology
- Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive – 12 miles of spectacular views of the mountains and valleys of Great Basin National Park
- Island Forest Trail – easy, ¼ mile hike at the end of the beautiful Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, – wheelchair accessible
- Mountain View Nature Trail - .3 miles, easy walk through the pinyon pine and juniper tree forest – located next to the Lehman Caves Visitors Center
- View a complete list of trails and hikes in Great Basin National Park here
- Frequent scheduled events, including astronomy classes and festivals
Location & Directions
- Great Basin National Park is about 5 miles west of Baker, NV and is located in east-central Nevada
- 286 miles from Las Vegas, 234 miles from Salt Lake City,
- Great Basin National Park is located near other important destinations, including:
- Notch Peak – in Utah’s West Desert, a giant limestone monolith surrounded by aspen and conifer forests, a unique hiking and rock-climbing destination
- West Desert – Utah’s western half that resides in the Great Basin, provides very unusual beauty, herds of rare wild horses, and miles of hiking, horseback riding, and ATV trails
- Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park (Utah)
- Fremont Indian State Park (Utah)
- Great Basin Museum – Delta, Utah, 95 miles east
Other Information
- No fee for park entrance
- $6 fee for developed campground use per night; no fee for primitive campground
- Road accessibility – dependant of weather
- Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive – open year-round except for the highest portion of the road, open generally June-October
- Baker Creek Road – usually open May-November
- Remote park roads – generally open year-round
- Wet weather can make roads in this region very dangerous – use appropriate vehicles, speed, and common sense when driving in Great Basin National Park
- Keep gas tanks full while traveling to the park, between the sparsely located gas stations
