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Great Basin National Park brush changing in Pole Canyon
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Great Basin National Park
Things To Do

Whether visiting for a day, or week, endless opportunities abound for recreation and relaxation in Great Basin National Park!  Be sure to check out Things to Know Before You Come for important information on pets, services, and current conditions that may affect your plans.  

Stop at a visitor center and ask a ranger for recommendations on activities to fit your schedule and your group.  Below are a few ideas to get you started.

 
cave drop in Lehman Caves

NPS PHOTO

Active formations in Lehman Caves

Half a Day

  • Check out the exhibits in both visitor centers.
  • Join a Lehman Caves Tour.  A Park Ranger will take you on a guided walk of the Lodge Room or Grand Palace section of Lehman Caves. 
  • Drive the 12 mile Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive for unparalled views of the mountains and surrounding valleys.
  • Stroll along the 1/4 mile Island Forest Trail at the end of the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive.
 

 
sculpted bristlecone pine

NPS PHOTO

Weathered bristlecone pine

One Day

  • Walk the self-guided Mountain View Nature Trail, located next to the Lehman Caves Visitor Center, and experience the sights, sounds, and smells of a pinyon-juniper forest.
  • Attend an evening campfire program at the Upper Lehman Creek Campground.
  • Enjoy a picnic lunch at the secluded Pole Canyon Picnic Area, located off the Baker Creek Road.
  • Venture up the Bristlecone Pine Trail to see the oldest living organisms in the world (2.8 miles round trip). Continue further up the trail to see Nevada's only glacier at the base of Wheeler Peak. 
  • Sign the kids up to become Great Basin Junior Rangers.
  • Find a comfortable spot after sunset for some stargazing or catch a ranger led astronomy program under one of the darkest night skies in the country.


 
Baker Lake

NPS PHOTO CHRIS WONDERLY

Baker Lake

Two or More Days

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Bristlecone Pine; photographed by Kathy Billings

Did You Know?
Many of Great Basin National Park's bristlecone pines were growing at the time the Egyptians were building the pyramids. Not only are the trees themselves old, but the needles alone can be 25-40 yrs old!
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Last Updated: February 28, 2011 at 14:35 MST