10 Best Things to Do in Great Basin National Park
From towering peaks, the oldest trees on Earth, plants and animals found nowhere else, and the only glacier in the State of Nevada, Great Basin National Park is a beautiful and unique 'Sky Island' in the truest sense—surrounded by one of the harshest deserts on all sides!
By this, I mean that Great Basin National Park—or, rather, the Snake Range—is a high-elevation mountain range that climbs to just over 13,000 ft. (3,962 m) atop Wheeler Peak. What this really means is that, regardless of the surrounding desert, Great Basin National Park acts like an island, offering visitors beautiful forests, alpine lakes, and typically very comfortable summer temperatures, as many of the park’s trails climb to or begin above 10,000 ft. (3,048 m)!
However, this all goes without saying that Great Basin National Park is pretty much next to nothing in terms of being convenient to get to. It’s a few hours away from both Las Vegas and St. George to the south, and even farther from Reno to the west, which is why travelers shouldn’t expect to find much in the way of accommodations when making it out to Baker, Nevada—the gateway to Great Basin National Park.
All that aside, its rugged and remote beauty is what makes Great Basin National Park special to see, which really means it’s a hiking destination above all else. This is why I highly recommend coming to Great Basin National Park with the expectation of, as many of the best things to do are only accessible by trail!
What is the Best Time of Year to Visit Great Basin National Park?
Great Basin National Park is a very high-elevation landscape, hence the reason it’s often referred to as an "Island in the Sky."
That said, many of the best things to see and do are all located well above 10,000 ft. (3,048 m), even if certain trailheads are located below this benchmark.
I write all this to say that Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, the most popular road in the park, is not open year-round, as it’s typically cleared of its seasonal snowpack by Memorial Day and stays open through early November.
This means that the best time to visit Great Basin National Park is obviously during the warmer summer months, but from experience, I personally think the best time of year is a little more nuanced.
By this, I mean that there are two things to consider. The first is that hiking to the alpine lakes, such as those off the Alpine Lakes Loop Trail or even Johnson and Baker Lake, are some of the best things to do in Great Basin National Park. However, all the lakes in the Snake Range are fed by snowmelt, meaning that, in the mid- to late-summer months, they dry up considerably compared with how beautiful they often are in May and June. In fact, both Stella and Teresa Lake, two of the most popular, often look like small alpine tarns rather than lakes come August.
This is why one answer regarding the best time of year to visit is mid-June, when much of the snow has melted off the trails, but the lakes are still full!
Alternatively, Great Basin National Park is home to vast stretches of Aspen forests, and as a result, visiting during peak fall foliage is somewhat of a hidden gem, as the typically quiet National Park is even quieter when the kids are back in school, but the trees are showing their full colors!
Peak fall colors in Great Basin typically occur around the middle of September for the upper elevations above 9,000 ft. (2,743 m) and into early October for the lower-elevation trees as far down as Baker Creek.
All this to say, I truly think it’s a toss-up when trying to pinpoint the best time of year to visit Great Basin National Park, but as long as Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive is open, there’s always something fun to do!
Hiking Checklist - Great Basin
Obviously, for camping, you will need general backpacking gear. For this reason, I wrote a separate post about what backpacking gear is worth the money, from my experience, and what the best alternatives are to save you money.
Read My Separate Post: Best Ultralight Backpacking Gear
In addition, here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Great Basin National Park.
10 Best Things to Do in Great Basin National Park
The following list is written in no particular order of best or worst.
However, it’s important to come prepared for the time of year you’ll be visiting, considering that Great Basin National Park is a very high-elevation park and many of the best things to do are located above 10,000 ft. (3,048 m).
This means it’s important to prepare for snow and ice in the spring and early summer, as well as for hot summer temperatures in the park’s lower elevations, such as the Lexington Arch Trail.
1. Wheeler Peak Summit Trail
Distance: 8.6 miles / 13.8 km
Elevation Gain: 2,883 ft. / 879 m
Standing tall at 13,063 ft. (3,982 m), Wheeler Peak is the tallest mountain in Great Basin National Park.
For this reason, Wheeler Peak is one of the most sought-after hikes within the park, but there are a few things to consider before making the climb.
First, the Wheeler Peak Trail is very exposed and hot during the typical summer climbing season, which is one main reasons why you’ll likely want to get an early morning/ middle-of-the-night start on the trail.
Second, there are multiple trailheads to consider, which really comes down to either more distance from the Wheeler Peak Trailhead or more elevation gain from the Alpine Lakes Trailhead.
Personally, I recommend the traditional Wheeler Peak Trailhead for a slightly easier ascent, which is the route linked below.
Read My Separate Post: Wheeler Peak Summit Trail
2. Glacier Trail
Distance (One Way to Exposed Glacier): 2.5 miles / 4.0 km
I am certainly biased when I write this, but I believe the Glacier Trail is the best day hike in Great Basin National Park!
I say this because the Glacier Trail not only traverses Nevada’s only glacier, but this beautiful 2.5-mile (4.0 km) out-and-back day hike also combines the ancient Wheeler Peak Bristlecone Grove into one adventure!
That said, the best part of the entire Glacier Trail is the exposed glacier at the very end of the glacial cirque. However, the maintained trail stops well short of the point shown in the photo below.
This means that visitors must hike off-trail to reach the best and most beautiful part of the entire hike, which I encourage you to learn more about it in my separate post linked below, as there is one best route that requires the least amount of effort to reach the glacier!
Read My Separate Post: Glacier Trail
3. Bristlecone Trail
Distance (RT on Bristlecone Trail Only): 2.8 miles / 4.5 km
It’s certainly not fair to talk about the Glacier Trail without also discussing the Bristlecone Interpretive Loop Trail, as the two are seemingly synonymous and often treated as one day hike, given that the Glacier Trail is really just an extension of the Bristlecone Trail, much like The Narrows is an extension of the Riverside Walk in Zion National Park.
That said, I wanted to highlight the Bristlecone Trail separately from the Glacier Trail because, if you don’t plan to hike off-trail to reach the exposed Wheeler Peak Glacier in the deepest parts of the cirque, the much shorter Bristlecone Pine Loop is worth the effort alone!
Read My Separate Post: Bristlecone Trail
4. Milkshakes at the Great Basin Café
The Great Basin Café is the only place to get food inside Great Basin National Park, but of everything they serve, their milkshakes stand out as the best thing on the menu!
I mean it when I say, they really are that good, and nothing is quite as good as stopping in for an afternoon milkshake after a long day out on one of the many beautiful the trails across the Snake Range!
Yelp: Great Basin Café
5. Lehman Caves Tour
Lehman Cave is a beautiful 2.0-mile (3.2 km) cave in the foothills of Great Basin National Park, and while much shorter than that of Wind Cave National Park, it the longest-known cave in the state of Nevada!
That said, there are five main guided cave tours in Great Basin National Park that visitors can enjoy.
They are the Gothic Palace Tour, the Lodge Room Tour, the Grand Palace Tour, the Introduction to Wild Caving Tour, and the First Room Accessible Tour, summaries of which can all be found on the Recreation.gov booking linked page below.
All that to say, I highly recommend taking the time to book one or more cave tours if you’re visiting Great Basin for the first time, but be sure to plan a few weeks in advance, as reservations for the most popular tours tend to sell out early!
Book Here: Lehman Caves Tours
6. Alpine Lakes Loop Trail
Distance: 2.7 miles / 4.3 km
There aren't a lot in terms of natural alpine lakes across the Snake Range. However, both Stella and Teresa Lake, off the Alpine Lakes Loop Trail, are easily the two most accessible lakes within Great Basin National Park.
Additionally, this relatively easy loop can be extended with the Glacier Trail to hike to Brown Lake, for only an extra 0.4 miles (0.6 km) each way.
Read My Separate Post: Alpine Lakes Loop Trail
7. Upper & Lower Lehman Creek Campground
Both the Upper and Lower Lehman Creek Campgrounds are two of the most beautiful front-country campgrounds within Great Basin.
That said, there isn’t a lot in terms of lodging or other services near Great Basin, meaning all campgrounds within Great Basin National Park are very popular during the summer travel season.
For this reason, it’s important to reserve your campsite as soon as you know your dates, which can either be done directly through Recreation.gov below or by clicking the links.
Book Here: Upper Lehman / Lower Lehman
No information is collected by this website when using the Recreation.gov booking widget, and all reservations made here are secure through the official website.
8. Mather Overlook (Sunrise)
Mather Overlook is a beautiful drive-up viewpoint off Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive that, in my opinion, is the best scenic overlook for watching the sunrise in Great Basin National Park!
I say this not because Mather Overlook has a great view of the sunrise itself, but because the southwest-facing viewpoint is perfectly situated on the east side of the Snake Range to watch the beautiful alpenglow work its way down Wheeler Peak, the highest peak in the park!
Google Maps Directions: Mather Overlook
9. Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive
If you have time for nothing else when passing through this quiet, forgotten corner of the country, make time to drive the 11.7-mile (18.8 km) Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive!
I say this because the entire road takes only about 20–25 minutes each way, and there are beautiful drive-up overlooks, including the Mather Overlook mentioned above and the Wheeler Peak Overlook—the only drive-up viewpoint from which the Wheeler Peak Glacier, located at the end of the Glacier Trail, can be seen from the road!
Either way, many of the best things to see and do are located along this short, out-and-back drive, which is why I could not recommend spending a little time checking out the sights more highly—especially considering that Great Basin National Park does not charge an entrance fee!
Google Maps Directions: Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive
10. Grey Cliffs Campground
Grey Cliffs Campground is the most beautiful drive-up campground outside of those along Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, and the best part is that it’s only minutes away from the Lehman Caves Visitor Center, the road down into Baker, and all the best things to do in Great Basin off the scenic byway!
That said, I personally like Grey Cliffs Campground because it’s a little less competitive than both Upper and Lower Lehman Creek, while still having Baker Creek running right through it, which makes for a great place to cool off during the warmer summer months.
Book Here: Grey Cliffs Campground
No information is collected by this website when using the Recreation.gov booking widget, and all reservations made here are secure through the official website.
10 Best Things to Do Near Great Basin National Park
The word "near" is very much a relative term when talking about things to do around Great Basin National Park, as everything in any direction is quite a long drive—even things as simple as looking for a nice place to sit down for dinner.
This is why I wrote this list broadly, as visiting Great Basin National Park inevitably means spending a lot of time in the car, though it really depends on which direction you’re coming from and where you plan to go after.
1. Zion National Park
When starting a trip in Las Vegas to visit Great Basin, Zion National Park is the closest and most practical destination in the opposite direction, especially during the cooler off-season months.
On that note, I have been visiting and revisiting Zion for many years, just as I have with Great Basin, which is why I believe the list I’ve created about the park truly offers the best tips and recommendations you will find—especially when it comes to hiking the Angels Landing Trail.
Read My Separate Post: Zion National Park
2. Loneliest Road in America (U.S. 50)
In 1986, Life magazine called a U.S. Highway 50 across central Nevada, the "Loneliest Road in America!"
Well, needless to say, the name stuck, and decades later, U.S. Highway 50 across central and eastern Nevada still bears the name today!
That said, the Loneliest Road in America has more than a few beautiful towns and destinations along the way, including Sand Mountain east of Fallon, the town of Austin, the Northern Railway Museum in Ely, and, of course, Great Basin National Park!
This is all to say that even though Reno is quite far from the park, there’s a lot to love about turning the drive to Great Basin into an adventure of its own!
Google Maps Directions: Loneliest Road in America (Austin, Nevada)
3. Nevada Northern Railway Museum
In downtown Ely, there’s a little-known National Historic Landmark known as the Nevada Northern Railway Museum, where visitors can book a number of different experiences to learn about the train depot, what it meant for the growing mining town of Ely in the early 1900s, and its role in supporting the region’s copper-mining industry and connecting the community with the rest of the country!
That said, there are a lot of different tours worth considering, but one of the best things to do at the museum is to simply buy a ticket for a self-guided tour, as this grants visitors an up-close, hands-on experience and access to all the best parts of the museum—and know that I use the word museum loosely!
By this, I mean that the Nevada Northern Railway Museum is really an active rail yard, and as such, it’s not a manicured experience that involves walking a paved path.
Rather, it’s the type of experience where you’ll want to wear good shoes, as you’ll be exploring historic buildings like the Roundhouse—also known as the Engine House—and the Machine Shop that are still in use today!
Google Maps Directions: Nevada Northern Railway Museum
4. Stargazer Inn & Bristlecone General Store
In Baker, Nevada, outside of Great Basin National Park, there is but one store known as the Stargazer Inn & Bristlecone General Store, and it is the go-to staple for food, drinks, coffee, and gifts—and has been since it came under new ownership in the spring of 2022!
That is really to say, I have no doubt you’ll be in the general store at some point during your trip to Great Basin, as there’s truly nothing else around!
On that note, I recommend stopping in to sit down and talk. If you have any questions about the park, the trails, or any of my recommendations on this list, they’ll be happy to answer them!
P.S. Be sure to ask about their red—possibly orange—chair!
5. Mt. Whitney (Highest Peak in California)
Distance (Roundtrip): 22.2 miles / 35.7 km
Elevation Gain: ~6,165 ft. / 1,879 m
Mt. Whitney via Whitney Portal, just outside of Lone Pine, is a roughly 6-hour, 35-minute drive from Baker, Nevada, just outside the park boundary.
That said, there’s nothing quite like climbing to the summit of Mt. Whitney, the highest summit in the lower 48 states!
Before visiting, there is quite a bit to know about the climb, including how to get a permit for the trail, which you can read all about in my separate article linked below.
Read My Separate Post: Mt. Whitney Trail (Lone Pine)
6. Lake Tahoe
If you’re already driving west out of Great Basin toward Lone Pine, Mt. Whitney, or even Bishop, then adding Lake Tahoe to your drive really isn’t all that out of the way!
That said, South Lake Tahoe is only a 6-hour, 45-minute drive from Baker, Nevada, which isn’t all that bad considering everything in every direction of Great Basin is quite the drive—especially if your trip is already starting or ending in Reno!
Google Maps Directions: Lake Tahoe
7. JT’s Steakhouse
This isn’t something I would normally say when writing recommendations about a National Park or a similar destination, but I felt that I struggled to find good food in Ely, west of the park, which is truly the only sizable town with options outside of Great Basin!
However, JT’s Steakhouse is by far the best place to eat in town, and I’m not just saying that because there aren’t many options. It really is a great place to sit down and enjoy a nice dinner!
Beyond this, there’s also La Fiesta for some good Mexican food right across the street, as well as Hometown Pizza down the road, which I like as a great option when I want leftovers for camping instead of making the long drive back and forth between the park just to get food.
Yelp: JT’s Steakhouse
8. Death Valley National Park
Death Valley is not a park I recommend visiting if you’re visiting Great Basin during the beautiful, sunny summer season, but if you happen to be visiting the Snake Range during the spring or fall off-season, Death Valley can be a great place to add to your list!
That said, Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park is roughly 5 hours and 45 minutes away from Baker, as the long drive cuts straight across the heart of Nevada, much like U.S. 50 mentioned above.
However, I’d say the drive is well worth the effort to see Death Valley during the best and most beautiful off-season months, which can easily be planned in the fall if you’re already trying to see the beautiful changing Aspens in Great Basin National Park!
Read My Separate Post: Death Valley National Park
9. Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park may seem a bit out of the way from Great Basin National Park, but if you’re flying to Reno to visit Great Basin, then Yosemite isn’t as out of the way as it may initially seem.
In fact, from the Reno Airport, Yosemite Village is only 4 hours and 25 minutes away when Tioga Pass is open.
To learn more, I’ve written an entirely separate post about Yosemite, similar to my detailed article about Great Basin.
Read My Separate Post: Yosemite National Park
10. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park
This recommendation should come as no surprise, as one of the most common California roadtrips is visiting all three National Narks in the Sierra Nevada at once.
For this reason, I want to highlight that Grant Grove in Kings Canyon National Park is only a 3-hour 30-minute drive from Yosemite Valley, and Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park is only 4 hours and 15 minutes away.
This is why, if you enjoyed reading everything I’ve written about Great Basin, I recommend checking out my separate article about both Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, where I share the same inside information about everything there is to see and do on all sides of each park.
Read My Separate Post: Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park
3 Things to Know Before Visiting Great Basin National Park
1. Pack a cooler for a multi-day visit in Great Basin National Park.
The town of Ely is 62 miles (100 km) away from Baker, just outside Great Basin.
This means that, at a minimum, you’re looking at a 120-mile (193-km) roundtrip if you want to stay in one of the nicer hotels and get good food in Ely—and I think it’s important to stress the words "at a minimum" because this drive only gets longer depending on which trailhead you plan to visit.
That said, camping in and around Great Basin is the best way to avoid this long back-and-forth drive, and bringing a cooler is one of the best ways to make a multi-day visit much more comfortable and practical!
I recommend planning easy meals that can be cooked over a fire, but using one of the designated campgrounds within the park or camping on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land outside the park boundary is one of the best ways to have a more enjoyable time in Great Basin!
2. Trails across Great Basin National Park have a lot of elevation change.
Not only do countless trails in Great Basin begin above 7,000 and 8,000 ft. (2,133 and 2,438 m), but many also climb steep elevation gradients, gaining anywhere from 1,000 – 3,000 ft. (305 – 914 m)—sometimes more!
This is why I consistently recommend using trekking poles throughout my hiking articles, which can be particularly useful on adventures like the Wheeler Peak Summit Trail and the Glacier Trail, both of which I could not recommend more!
3. Get gas before arriving in Great Basin National Park.
There is a small gas station in Baker, just outside the park, but it is very expensive compared to what you will find elsewhere.
This is why I only recommend filling up in Baker as a last resort.
On a different note, I also recommend getting gas as a safety precaution, as Nevada really is that big, and here’s a good story to back that up!
One morning, I was driving out of Ely for the Upper Strawberry Trail, with plans to hike off Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive after finishing. I left town with half a tank, which I believed was more than enough, given that I was driving a brand-new, fuel-efficient rental car from the airport.
However, what I shouldn’t have been complacent about is the fact that Highway 50 between Ely and Baker crosses two mountain ranges. So, when I was done hiking and started making my way back to Ely late in the day, I noticed that I was going to be cutting it close on fuel, though the car’s fuel estimate gave me about 15 miles (24 km) more than what the GPS said the drive was.
As the drive went on, this cushion quickly started to disappear with each hill, and by the time I was descending the Schell Creek Range east of Ely, the rental car was alerting me that I was dangerously low on fuel, yet I still had about 18 miles (29 km) to go!
To end the story here, I made it with less than half a gallon in the tank, based on how much fuel the car took at the gas station. If I can say anything from all this, learn from me, and don’t get complacent! Use the expensive gas station in Baker if need be. It really is a safety issue!
