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Great Basin National Park
From the 13,063-foot summit of Wheeler Peak, to the sage-covered foothills, Great Basin National Park hosts a sample of the incredible diversity of the larger Great Basin region. Come and partake of the solitude of the wilderness, walk among ancient bristlecone pines, bask in the darkest of night skies, and explore mysterious subterranean passages. There's a whole lot more than just desert here!
RecAreaDirections
From the East or West: From U.S. Highway 6 & 50, turn south on Nevada State Highway 487 and travel 5 miles to Baker, NV. In Baker turn west on Highway 488 and travel 5 miles to the park. From the South (Utah): Travel north on Utah State Highway 21 through Milford, UT and Garrison, UT, Highway 487. Turn west on Highway 488 in Baker and travel 5 miles to the park. From the South (Nevada): Travel north on U.S. Highway 93. No public transportation is available to, or in, Great Basin National Park.
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Permits info
Facilities
Great Basin Visitor Center Visitor Center
Phone: (775) 234-7520 Located just north of the town of Baker on the west side of NV Highway 487. The Visitor Center contains an information desk staffed by park rangers, exhibits about the ecology and history of the park, a theater with the park film, and brochures.
Lehman Caves Visitor Center Visitor Center
Phone: (775) 234-7510 Lehman Caves Visitor Center is located 5.5 miles up from the town of Baker, NV. At this visitor center visitors can plan their visit, purchase cave tour tickets, watch the park movie, and explore exhibits about the caves and the darkness of Great Basin National Park.
Wheeler Peak Campground Campground
List of CampsitesOverview
A stay at the Wheeler Peak Campground is a genuinely memorable experience. Shadowed beneath the hulking cliffs of Wheeler Peak and Doso Doyabi, a pair of Nevada’s true alpine monarchs, the views and campsites hover among the clouds. At nearly 10,000 feet in elevation your neighbors are Engelman spruce, mule deer and green meadows; your common distractions tumbling brooks and shimmering aspen leaves. A mile and a half up the trail will place you in the midst of the Wheeler Peak Bristlecone Grove, among trees so ancient that some have absorbed the fanciful hues of over a million sunsets. Take elevation and weather into account before you set out on your hike. Neither towing nor towed vehicles exceeding 24 feet in length are accommodated along the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive or at Wheeler Peak Campground.
Recreation
The drive alone is worth the price of admission, as they say, even though there is no entrance fee at this National Park. The 12-mile Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive sweeps you over half a vertical mile to the Wheeler Peak Campground, just beneath what may be the most picturesque mountain in Nevada. Take in the view at Mather Overlook along the way. You can’t miss it.
While the Wheeler Peak Campground is the most distant campground from the surreal Lehman Caves (a 30-minute drive down the mountain) it more than makes up for it in hiking opportunities. Two of the park’s most sought-after hikes, the Bristlecone Trail and Alpine Lakes Loop Trail, begin just outside of the campground entrance. The fully accessible .4 mile-long Sky Isalnd Nature Trail also presents a peaceful alternative. Beyond walking, the soundscapes and view-surfing are perfect for lounging, reading or catching up on some sleep after a long drive. Oh, and the caves are just 30 minutes away. If you prefer some less-traveled roads, consider a drive down the Snake Creek (no rvs or trailers) or Baker Creek Roads for such hiking destinations as Baker Lake or Johnson Lake. From the end of these maintained dirt roads, all trails lead to solitude.
But be back at your campsite before sunset if you want to enjoy the dusk light show as the sun ignites the towering stone walls of Doso Doyabi, merging slowly into a sky so black that the stars pop in ways you may never have imagined possible.
Be sure to make reservations before you arrive, for both the campground and the caves.
Facilities
Wheeler Peak Campground offers paved parking spurs, picnic tables, campfire rings and grills along with vault toilets. While towed vehivles are allowed, niether the towed nor towing vehicle may be over 24-feet in length.
Natural Features
Views of some of Nevada’s most picturesque mountains are abundant and never more than a few steps away from your campsite, if that. Bolstered by permanent snow and icefields of the Wheeler Peak cirque the spring serenading you just to the south has cascaded through ancient quartzite which makes up the towering cathedrals above. Stretched out among alpine meadows ringed within a dense forest of Engleman spruce, the Wheeler Peak Campground provides shade at nearly every site while a quick stroll will often reveal mule deer, turkey, or in the autumn weeks the lively orange and gold of shimmering aspen.
Nearby Attractions
Don't forget, Great Basin National Park was forshadowed when Lehman Caves was annointed a National Monument in 1922. The cave and its underground wonders are just thirty minutes away behind the Lehman Caves Visitor Center. Access is by tour only so be sure to book a reservation before you arrive, or stop by the visitor center to check on remaining availability.
Baker Creek Campground Campground
List of CampsitesBaker Creek Campground contains 37 campsites. All sites are available, when the campground is open (seasons permitting), on a first-come-first-served basis. Potable water is not available.
Lower Lehman Campground Campground
List of CampsitesOverview
Among the lush green vegetation which hugs Lehman Creek, you'll secure your tent or park your rv within earshot of clear mountain water which has tumbled 3000 vertical feet from the lakes and snowfields of the high Snake Range. Naturally landscaped with red-barked water birch, aspen and white fir a stroll through this sky island ecosystem provides for great bird-watching or a cooling dip in the stream while placing you just minutes from spectacular Lehman Caves. Be sure to make a reservation for a cave tour before you arrive in the park.
Recreation
For guests at Lower Lehman Campground a number of recreational options present themselves.
The jaw-dropping Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive runs right past the campground entrance offering 12 miles of spectacular mountain and valley views while transporting you to near tree line at about 10,000 feet in elevation. From there a roundtrip trail walk of just under three miles will leave you with memories of iconic Bristlecone Pines which can endure for over 4000 years, and stand for thousands more after death.
Another short stroll from the end of the Scenic Drive highlights Stella and Theresa Lakes, both fish free because they freeze solid during the winter months, but begging for a sunset photograph with colossal Wheeler Peak looming in the background.
If a challenge is beckoning, you'll find ample beyond the Summit Trailhead. Beginning at mile 11 of the Scenic Drive the Summit Trail will launch you on an eight-mile, day-long endeavor to the roof of Wheeler Peak itself, where you may ponder the desperate lives of bristlecones, limber pines and Engelman Spruce gracing the rocky moraine below the summit.
Renown Lehman Caves is just a 10-minute drive from your campsite at Lower Lehman (You'll want to make a tour reservation before you arrive.) along with the remote solitude of the less-travelled trails of the Baker Creek Road. The Snake Creek and Strawberry Creek Roads are both unique experiences, but a but more diatant.
Fishing in the park is legal with a Nevada state fishing license, but access is challenging in the small brushy park streams, so consider a day-long excursion to Baker Lake. The experience includes a twelve-mile roundtrip hike to over 10,000 ft, but the trout fishing is fine and a more majestic venue could barely be imagined. Stop by one of the park's visitor centers for fishing regulations, and please treat the delicate alpine environment around Baker Lake with respect .
During the summer months beneath the uniquely black night skies of Great Basin National Park astronomy programs with park rangers draw large crowds to the Lehman Cave Visitor Center, just three downhill driving miles away. Bring a chair and dress warm as even summer temperatures can drop dramatically in the Snake Range.
Facilities
Lower Lehman Creek Campground is perfect for rvs, with large, paved, pull-through parking at six of the 11 camping sites. Each site offers a picnic table, fire ring, and pit toilets within a stone's throw.
Natural Features
Lower Lehman Campgroup is strung out along the lush riparian area hugging Lehman Creek, a small vibrant stream which has babbled it's way for miles from the high country of the Snake Range, over half a vertical mile above. Most sites offer shade provided by white firs as well as juniper and pinyon pine. But at 7300 feet in elevation, uncomfortably hot days are rare.
Staying here is a wonderfull opportunity to dip your feet into cool water while diving into your favorite novel. Look up ocassionally. The limestone ridge just to the south anchors 12,771-foot Doso Doyabi to the broad Snake Valley below and the evening lightshow performed amidst one of the darkest night skies in the Lower 48 will likely keep you up well beyond your usual bedtime. If not, make sure that it draws you out.
Nearby Attractions
Don't forget, Great Basin National Park was forshadowed when Lehman Caves was annointed a National Monument in 1922. The cave and its underground wonders are just a few miles away behind the Lehman Caves Visitor Center. Access is by tour only, so be sure to book a reservation before you arrive, or stop by the visitor center to check on remaining availability.
Upper Lehman Campground Campground
List of CampsitesOverview
Whether you prefer the rich smell of summer mahogany riding air currents blended with the vanilla of ponderosa pine, or the sound of a clear mountain stream babbling beneath a symphony of swaying white fir, you won't regret your stay at Upper Lehman Campground. At 7500 feet in elevation and three miles up the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive a stay at Upper Lehman puts you within a ten minute drive of Lehman Caves and just a brief cruise from high alpine trails that will take you into the heart of the Snake Range. A stroll across the grounds may present you with mule deer or turkey, while a step out onto the viewing platform over Lehman Creek could offer a glimpse of brook trout moving gracefully through a liquid stage.
Recreation
For guests at Upper Lehman Campground a number of recreational options present themselves.
The jaw-dropping Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive runs right past the campground entrance, offering 12 miles of spectacular mountain and valley views while transporting you to near tree line at about 10,000 feet in elevation. From there a roundtrip trail walk of just under three miles will leave you with memories of iconic bristlecone pines, trees which can endure for over 4000 years, and stand for thousands after that.
Another short stroll from the end of the Scenic Drive highlights Stella and Theresa Lakes, both fish free because they freeze solid during the winter months, but begging for a sunset photograph with colossal Wheeler Peak looming in the background.
If a challenge is beckoning, you'll find ample beyond the Summit Trailhead. Beginning at mile 11 of the Scenic Drive the Summit Trail will launch you on an eight-mile, day-long endeavor to the top of Wheeler Peak, monarch of the Snake Range, where you may ponder the desperate lives of bristlecones, limber pines and Engelman Spruce gracing the rocky moraine below the summit.
Renown Lehman Caves is just a 10-minute drive from your campsite (You'll want to make a tour reservation before you arrive.) along with the remote solitude of the less-travelled trails of the Baker Creek. The Snake Creek and Strawberry Creek Roads are a bit more distant, but worth the drive.
Fishing in the park is legal with a Nevada state fishing license, but access is challenging in the small brushy park streams so consider a day-long excursion to Baker Lake. The experience includes a twelve-mile roundtrip hike to over 10,000 ft, but the trout fishing is fine and a more majestic venue could barely be imagined. Stop by one of the park visitor centers for regulations, and please treat the delicate alpine environtment of Baker Lake with respect.
During the summer months beneath the uniquely black night skies of Great Basin National Park astronomy programs with park rangers draw large crowds to the Lehman Cave Visitor Center, just four downhill driving miles away. Bring a chair and dress warm as even summer temperatures can drop dramatically in the Snake Range.
Facilities
Upper Lehman Creek Campground offers paved parking spurs, picnic tables, and campfire rings with grills along with vault toilets. In addition to almost instant access to the breathtaking Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive the natural amenities of shade and soundscape are in ample supply.
Natural Features
Resting at the base of a limestone ridge anchoring 12,771 foot Doso Doyabi to the floor of Snake Valley, the sites of Upper Lehman Campground are scattered amidst a diverse forest of pinyon and ponderosa pine along with juniper, white fir, aspen and fragrant mountain mahogany. Upper Lehman Creek with its resident trout (It's a small dynamic stream, difficult to fish.) tumbles among the sites blending with the voices of pine needles, turkey, and the crackle of campfire to create a classic soundscape, perfect for the camping experience. Shade is easy to come by during the summer months followed by the gilded quivering of aspen leaves in the fall.
Nearby Attractions
Don't forget, Great Basin National Park was forshadowed when Lehman Caves was annointed a National Monument in 1922. The cave and its underground wonders are just a few miles away behind the Lehman Caves Visitor Center. Access is by tour only so be sure to book a reservation before you arrive, or stop by the visitor center to check on remaining availability.
contact_info
For facility specific information, please call (775) 234-7331.Snake Creek Primitive Campgrounds Campground
List of CampsitesMake yourself at home in the Snake Creek Campsites along the Snake Creek River, located on the south-eastern side of the park. These sites are nestled among Aspen groves and at the base of impressive limestone cliffs. Sites to choose from include, Monkey Rock, Squirrel Springs, Pinnacles, Eagle Peak. The Shoshone and Johnson Lake trail sites are a short 0.5 mile hike from the parking lot at the end of the Snake Creek Road.
Dump Station Campground
List of CampsitesNo overnight camping allowed. Dump Station is for dumping garbage and RV sewage.
Lehman Caves Tours Ticket Facility
Overview:
Great Basin National Park awaits your discovery. Experience the solitude of the desert, the smell of sagebrush after a thunderstorm, the darkest of night skies, and the beauty of Lehman Caves. Take the scenic drive to the face of 13,063 foot Wheeler Peak or see 5,000 year old Bristlecone pine trees grow on rocky glacial moraines.Lehman Caves is an excellent example of a limestone solution cavern. Its beginning can be traced back 550 to 600 million years ago when a warm shallow sea covered most of what is now Nevada and Utah. Over the next 400 million years, sea creatures lived and died, piling layers of calcium carbonate-rich sediment on the ocean floor. These sediments gradually solidified into limestone rock.
Millions of years ago, these limestone layers were uplifted, exposing them to the elements. For millennia, rain and melting snow soaked through the soil and combined with carbon dioxide gas from decaying plans and animals to form a weak solution of carbonic acid. This acidic solution trickled downward through tiny cracks until it reached the water table. The limestone around these water-filled cracks slowly dissolved. These cracks grew into the rooms and passageways that make up Lehman Caves. Over time, the water table dropped, and the water drained out of these underground chambers.
Seeping water continued to enter the air-filled chambers of the cave. Every water droplet carried with it a small amount of dissolved limestone. When exposed to the air of the open chamber, the carbon dioxide gas escaped from the solution. Calcite and other minerals formed deposits along the walls, ceilings and floors. These deposits created the beautiful and mysterious formations we know as speleothems.
Today, these same processes of growth continue, slowly decorating the passages and rooms of the cave, adding to the fantastic examples of stalactites, columns, draperies, flowstone, helicities, and rare shield formations.
Grey Cliffs Campground Campground
List of CampsitesOverview
For visitors to Great Basin National Park, Grey Cliffs Campground is an ideal place to setup and start exploring. Experience the solitude of the desert, the smell of sagebrush after a thunderstorm, the darkest of night skies, and the beauty of Lehman Caves.Recreation
The park offers a variety of trails with views of mountain peaks and alpine lake surrounded by beautiful cliffs at trail's end. Reserve a guided tour of Lehman Caves, take the scenic drive to the face of 13,063 foot Wheeler Peak or see 5,000 year old Bristlecone pine trees grow on rocky glacial moraines.Facilities
The Grey Cliffs Campground offers vault toilets only. There is no potable water, but water is available at the (first-come, first-served) Baker Creek Campground, the RV Sanitary Station from late spring through early fall or year round at the Lehman Caves Visitor Center.A campfire is allowed in campfire rings only. RVs are not permitted due to space constraints.
