The Great Basin is located in encompassing Nevada, Western Utah, and a portion of California’s desert. The park covers a 200,000 square mile area. The park is a place of extreme environment with underground caverns and rugged mountain peaks.
Since the park is in an isolated location, far from cities and towns with no light pollution you could see the darkest skies in the United States. Great Basin is home to the oldest ancient bristlecone pine groves. It is also the best place for bird-watching. Great Basin is truly the best place to take a break from your busy city life and enjoy your holidays.
Best Time To Visit Great Basin National Park:
The best time to visit Great Basin National Park is from the end of September, when there are fewer people and beautiful weather. Summer is the busiest season of the year with full activities afternoon you can accept thunderstorms. Fall is the favorite season for hikers with fewer crowds and amazing weather making it perfect to explore the park.
Expense To Visit Great Basin National Park:
Great Basin National currently does not charge an entrance fee.
Tour Guide Fee:
- Lehman Cave tour for adults 60 mins cost $9
- Lehman Cave tour for adults 60 mins cost $11
- Lehman Cave Tour for youth between the age 5 to 15 for 60 mins cost $5
- Lehman Cave Tour for youth between the age 5 to 15 for 90 mins cost $6
- For golden age or access pass holder 50% discount
- Children under age 5 Free
Camping Fee:
- Wheeler Peak Campground: the campground has picnic tables, restrooms, fire pits, grills, and tent pads that cost $15 per night for adults and $7.50 for Senior and Access Pass holders
- Upper Lehman Creek Campground: the campground has picnic tables, restrooms, fire pits, grills, and tent pads that cost $15 per night for adults and $7.50 for Senior and Access Pass holders
- Lower Lehman Creek Campground: the campground has picnic tables, restrooms, fire pits, grills, and tent pads that cost $15 per night for adults and $7.50 for Senior and Access Pass holders
- Baker Creek Campground: the campground has picnic tables, restrooms, fire pits, grills, and tent pads that cost $15 per night for adults and $7.50 for Senior and Access Pass holders
- Grey Cliffs Non-Group Sites: the campground has picnic tables, restrooms, fire pits, grills, and tent pads that cost $15 per night for adults and $7.50 for Senior and Access Pass holders
Things Do In Great Basin National Park:
Lehman Caves Tour:
Lehman Caves is a marble and limestone cavern system filled with rock formation, stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstone. The cave tour is for 60 and 90 minutes. You can book the tour in advance. The tour informative you get to know about the cave’s history.
Explore the Wheeler Peak Area
Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive leads to the path up the mountainside, leaving the desert behind with breathtaking views. You can stop at overlooks and enjoy the views. The peak rises 13,063 feet above sea level with no trees on the top.
Hike in Great Basin National Park
Great Basin National Park has 12 trails ranging from 0.3 to 13.1 miles. If you like short trails you can go for Mountain View Nature Trail. It is a 0.3-mile trail you can walk in the pinyon-juniper forest.
If you like to go for a more challenging trail you can choose Baker Lake and Johnson Lake Loop Trail. The trail has a steep route over the ridge between Baker and Johnson Lakes. For people how love to see the wildlife of the park Alpine Lake Loop is the perfect one for you. You can hike through an alpine forest, streams, and even wildlife sighting.
Walk Through The Ancient Bristlecone Pines
The Bristlecone Pines is the major attraction of Great Basin National Park. The forest is a protected area with the longest living trees on earth that can survive in harsh environments. Bristlecone Pine is a must-to-go where you get to see The oldest bristlecone pine in the White Mountains, which is 4,852 years old.
Places To Visit in Great Basin National Park:
The Great Basin is a variety of high desert ecosystems that has an incredibly diverse array of wildlife and vegetation, including the rare bristlecone pine and species of plants that have adapted to harsh conditions, making them among the oldest trees on Earth. You get to explore amazing wildlife, the park has the darkest skies in America making it the best place for stargazing. When you visit Great Basin you at least need two days to cover most parts of the park.
- Lehman Caves
- Wheeler Peak
- Rock Glacier
- Stella Lake
- Lexington Arch
- Teresa Lake
- Mountain View Nature Trail
How To Reach Great Basin National Park
Great Basin National Park lies at the crossroads of US Highways 50 and 93 which can be reached from Salt Lake City, Utah. It you want to fly to the park the nearest commercial airports are in Cedar City, Utah, which is142 miles and St. George, Utah. Both the airports are located in Salt Lake City.