Hiking the Baker Creek Loop Trail in Great Basin National Park
Distance: 3.5 miles / 5.6 km
The Baker Creek Loop Trail in Great Basin National Park is a beautiful day hike filled with wildflowers in the foothills of the Snake Range that combines numerous different trails into this one easy loop around Baker Creek!
These trails are the Baker Lake Trail on the northern half of the loop, the Timber Creek Loop Trail, also called the Baker Meadows Trail, on the southern half of the loop, and a short connection between the two.
That said, the Baker Creek Loop Trail is one of the more popular day hikes from the Baker Creek Trailhead because is it not nearly as long or doesn’t climb nearly as high as a number of others. However, since a large portion of the Baker Creek Loop Trail is a part of the hike to Baker Lake, the entire loop can easily be added to this much longer adventure, as taking one half of the loop up and the other back only adds about 0.3 miles (0.5 km) overall, even with the 0.5-mile (0.8 km) connection between the two sides.
Baker Creek Loop Trailhead Parking
Parking for the Baker Creek Loop Trail is located at the Baker Creek Trailhead, the joint trailhead that serves several different day hikes and overnight adventures, including the Pole Canyon Loop Trail, the Timber Creek Loop Trail, the Baker Lake Trail, and more.
That said, the Baker Creek Trailhead is not nearly as popular as the Bristlecone–Alpine Lakes Trailhead at the end of Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, meaning that regardless of the hike you choose, it will almost always mean encountering very few, if any, other hikers.
Google Maps Directions: Baker Creek Loop Trailhead
Hiking Checklist - Great Basin
Here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Great Basin National Park.
Hiking the Baker Creek Loop Trail
North Baker Creek Loop Trailhead
There are two different paths, or trailheads, that begin at the Baker Creek Trailhead, both beginning either the north or south side of the Baker Creek Loop Trail.
That said, I don’t believe it makes much of a difference regarding the direction you decide to hike the loop, but the northern half to the highest point on the loop is a little more gradual than the southern half.
This is why this article begins in the counterclockwise direction.
North Baker Lake-Timber Creek Loop-Pole Canyon Loop Junction
The Baker Creek Loop Trailhead is not only the beginning of the Baker Lake Trail, but also the Timber Creek Loop Trail and the Pole Canyon Loop Trail, all of which can be read about in more detail in my separate articles linked below.
In any case, go straight at the Baker Lake Trailhead to begin the northern half of the Baker Creek Loop Trail, as well as the hike to Baker Lake.
Read My Separate Posts: Baker Lake Trail / Timber Creek Loop Trail / Pole Canyon Loop Trail (Coming Soon)
It’s always great to see Lupine growing across the Mountain West!
This is the first and only time the Baker Creek Loop Trail crosses Baker Creek before the trail to the lake splits away.
This is where the Baker Creek Loop Trail begins a series of five switchbacks up the lower Sagebrush-covered slopes before returning to Baker Creek and the junction where the Baker Lake Trail splits away.
Since the Baker Creek Loop Trail is such a high-elevation hike in Great Basin National Park, I highly recommend wearing a hooded sun shirt—something that I always say about every adventure across the Snake Range.
This is where the Baker Creek Loop Trail turns the corner and starts paralleling Baker Creek, about 1.1 miles (1.8 km) from the Baker Creek Trailhead and roughly 0.5 miles (0.8 km) from the point where the Baker Lake Trail branches away.
These vast stretches of Aspen trees here and across the Snake Range are what make Great Basin National Park a great destination for fall colors—and a hidden gem at that, as far fewer visitors come to this quiet little corner of the West compared to both Utah and Colorado.
Baker Creek Loop-Baker Lake Junction
After 1.6 miles (2.6 km), the Baker Lake Trail and the Baker Creek Loop Trail split from one another.
Once here, go left to continue hiking the Baker Creek Loop Trail toward the southern half of the loop.
Read My Separate Post: Baker Lake Trail
Immediately after leaving the Baker Lake Trail, the Baker Creek Loop crosses over Baker Creek.
Once on the south side of Baker Creek, the trail begins climbing up and over a short hill that separates the two sides of the loop.
In my opinion, this is the most annoying part of the entire hike because all the elevation gained along this section will be lost again at the point when the Baker Creek Loop meets the Timber Creek Loop junction on the other side.
This section between Baker Creek and the top of the hill gains roughly 115 ft. (35 m) in about 0.25 miles (0.4 km).
This is the top of the hill and the halfway point between the Baker Lake and Timber Creek sides of the Baker Creek Loop Trail.
Upper Baker Creek Loop-Timber Creek Loop Junction
After 0.5 miles (0.8 km) since leaving the Baker Lake Trail, the Baker Creek Loop meets the Timber Creek Loop Trail, also referred to as the Baker Meadows Trail from this point to the trailhead.
That said, go left to continue hiking the Baker Creek Loop Trail back toward the Baker Creek Trailhead, about 1.4 miles (2.3 km) away from this junction.
Read My Separate Post: Timber Creek Loop Trail (Coming Soon)
This large clearing on the right-hand side of the trail is Baker Meadows, hence the alternate name for this half of the Baker Creek Loop, as well as for the much longer Timber Creek Loop Trail.
When the Baker Creek Loop Trail re-enters the trees after Baker Meadows, it remains in the forest for nearly the rest of the hike to the trailhead.
This is why, while not the most popular trail in Great Basin National Park, the Baker Creek Loop Trail is often seen as simply a part of other, longer adventures, such as the hike to Baker Lake, rather than as its own separate day hike.
Once again, I highly recommend wearing a hooded sun shirt for this and all-day hikes across Great Basin National Park.
This is where the Baker Creek Loop crosses the South Fork of Baker Creek, which is somewhat of a mental halfway point between the Upper Timber Creek Loop junction above and the Baker Creek Trailhead below.
The Baker Meadows half of the Baker Creek Loop descends almost constantly from the Timber Creek Loop junction shown above, losing roughly 850 ft. (260 m) in the final 1.4 miles (2.3 km).
This is why some hikers may want to use trekking poles on the 3.5-mile (5.6 km) loop, which can certainly be helpful across countless steep adventures in Great Basin National Park.
Lower Baker Creek Loop-Timber Creek Loop Junction
With about 0.2 miles (0.3 km) remaining before the Baker Creek Loop Trail returns to the Baker Creek Trailhead, the loop comes to one final junction—the lower junction with the Timber Creek Loop, or rather, the start of the Timber Creek Loop Trail.
This split also serves as a connection to the Pole Canyon Loop Trail, a much less popular day hike in Great Basin compared with countless others.
All that aside, go left at this split to continue down the Baker Creek Loop Trail and return to the Baker Creek Trailhead.
Read My Separate Post: Timber Creek Loop Trail / Pole Canyon Loop Trail (Coming Soon)
This is where the Baker Creek Loop Trail crosses Baker Creek, just steps before reaching the trailhead at the end of Baker Creek Road.
South Baker Lake-Timber Creek Loop-Pole Canyon Loop Junction
This is where the Baker Creek Loop Trail returns to the South Baker Creek Loop Trailhead, which, again, is also the junction for a number of different day hikes that branch out in all directions from this one point.
That said, the Baker Lake Trail and the Timber Creek Loop Trail are the two most popular adventures that begin at the Baker Creek Trailhead, but don’t overlook the Pole Canyon Loop as a great way to enjoy a quiet day outside—especially if you’re camping at one of the adjacent campgrounds off the Pole Canyon Loop down the road.
Read My Separate Posts: Baker Lake Trail / Timber Creek Loop Trail / Pole Canyon Loop Trail (Coming Soon)
South Baker Creek Loop Trailhead
The North Baker Creek Loop Trailhead is located just to the left of where this photo was taken.
