Great Basin
Image Credit: Tom Auchter

2023 Annular Eclipse

Weekend Event Schedule

Find times, dates, and event summaries at the drop down menus below. All sorts of information is available on this page and can be navigated to below.

 
 
An illustrated brown bristlecone pine stand to the front of a black circle with a thin yellow border and yellow rays emerging from it at various lengths. Text surrounds the circular image saying "Great American Eclipse" above and "White Pine County" below
White Pine County, Nevada will be a premier destination to view the 2023 Annular Eclipse.

White Pine County Tourism and Recreation

On October 14, 2023 Great Basin National Park will experience one of the great astronomical events of local history: an Annular Solar Eclipse. This eclipse will obscure a portion of the sun for nearly three hours in the morning of that special Saturday. The next annular eclipse in the United States won't take place until 2041 making this an incredibly rare occurrence, if not once in a lifetime for many who come to see.

The 2023 Annular Eclipse will pass through seven states and more than twenty national park units. As the moon dances across the morning October sky, the sun will be partially obscured while leaving a wondrous "Ring of Fire" and viewers with a phenomenal marvel. Even with the sun partially obscured, it is never safe to view the sun during the Annular Eclipse without proper eye protection!

What is an Annular Eclipse?

An Annular Eclipse varies from a Total Eclipse in one major way. While a Total Solar Eclipse obscures the entirety of the sun at its peak totality, an Annular Solar Eclipse means that a small amount of annularity, popularly known as a "Ring of Fire," remains. These differences occur due to the moon's elliptical orbit around the Earth, so the distance is not constant and allows the moon to appear smaller or larger in the sky. Annular eclipses take place during a further part of the moon's orbit.

When will it happen?

During the morning of October 14th, 2023. The moon will experience its first visual contact with the sun at about 8:07am Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) that morning, and will fully obscure the sun by 9:26am PDT. At 10:53am PDT, the moon will finally leave the sun and the 2023 eclipse will have concluded. Historically, mild temperatures and clear skies prevail in October, but snow and thunderstorms are not unheard of. Clouds may well make the eclipse unviewable, but such is the nature of the skies!

 
 
 
A small selection of a map. Within its bounds are eastern Nevada and Western Utah, stretching from Elko, NV to Price, UT. A golden circle represents the shadow of the eclipse with the text "9:25PDT" present within the shadow.
The 2023 Eclipse over Eastern Nevada and Western Utah. Great Basin National Park is slightly southeast of Ely, just by the Utah Border.

NASA

What activities will be going on at Great Basin National Park?

In response to this historic occasion, Great Basin will be holding a series of extra events in the days leading up to the eclipse, and guided viewing the morning of. While October usually begins a sleepier time in the park, we expect large crowds and many people to visit so plan ahead and have alternatives if your plan doesn't work out!

Self-Guided Activities

  1. Jr Ranger Eclipse Explorer Books are available at visitor centers, before, during, and after the eclipse for those that want to learn more and engage with the eclipse! Special Eclipse Explorer badges & books will be available in limited quantities.
  2. Check out some of the citizen science initiatives through NASA! The Globe Observer Project and Eclipse Soundscapes projects seek to learn more about how the natural world reacts to these special events, and park staff will help you in collecting observations and guiding you to new heights to be a scientist yourself!

Ranger Programs, Guest Speakers, and Virtual Events

  1. Join a virtual presentation with the Great Basin National Park Foundation to learn more about the how and why of eclipses leading up to the Annular Eclipse. Programs will take place over Zoom on August 29 and September 12. Register here.
  2. Special Guest from NASA's Heliophysics division, David Cheney, will be in the park in the days leading to the eclipse to talk about Heliophysics and how it affects us, along with how eclipses affect larger patterns on the Earth.
  3. Ranger-led astronomy programs will be in full swing this Wednesday-Friday at the Astronomy Amphitheater. Topics will vary.
  4. Guided eclipse viewing will take place the morning of October 14 at the Lehman Caves Visitor Center and the Great Basin Visitor Center, with rangers and volunteers showing off the sun in solar telescopes. Rangers will be present all morning to discuss the phenomena, hand out free eclipse glasses, and help make the most of your experience!
 

Event Schedule

 

Where to view the Eclipse inside the park

Guided Viewing Areas

  1. Lehman Caves Visitor Center and Astronomy Amphitheater
  2. Great Basin Visitor Center Parking Lot

Self Guided Viewing

Make sure to pick up eclipse glasses from a ranger at one of the visitor centers of viewing areas prior to trekking out on your own. It is never safe to view an annular eclipse without properly rated eye protection. These are not the only areas the eclipse will be visible from, but are the only places where parking may be available.

  1. Mather Overlook
  2. Baker Creek Road
 
An illustrated color poster advertising the 2023 Annular Eclipse. An Old timey car tows a trailer through an arch, surrounded by red rocks and a map of the eclipse path in the background.

NASA / T. Nordgren

Stay Safe and Protect your Park

Camping & Lodging

If the park doesn't experience any significant snowfall leading up to the eclipse, all five developed campgrounds will be open. All campgrounds will also be first-come, first-served. If you're unable to find a site within the park, speak to a ranger about primitive and dispersed camping alternatives outside the park. Camping outside of established campgrounds is strictly prohibited within the bounds of Great Basin National Park. Check current conditions and campground status here.

Any visitors seeking to backcountry camp and experience the eclipse in more solitude should pick up a backcountry permit at the Lehman Caves Visitor Center. Permits are required for all backpacking along the Baker/Johnson Lakes Loop.

There are not hotels or lodging within Great Basin National Park. Lodging in surrounding communities like Baker, NV (6 miles from park entrance) and Ely, NV (70 miles from park entrance) has been fully booked for up to 18 months in some cases. We encourage searching for lodging as cancellations may have been made, or using alternatives to hotels like AirBnB, VRBO, etc.

Safe Viewing Practices

Annular eclipses differ from total eclipses in that at no point is it safe to view the sun without properly rated eye protection! Come by either visitor center on the days leading to the eclipse or find a ranger the morning of for a free pair of eclipse glasses. We want to ensure everybody has a safe morning and the equipment to do so! Sunglasses are not sufficient protection for viewing the sun.

Make sure you've found a safe place from which to view the eclipse. Don't be a distracted driver, stop your vehicle in a safe place if you plan on viewing the eclipse. Parking and guided viewing will be available at both visitor centers, other park overlooks & parking areas will remain open, and safe and lawful parking will be strictly enforced. Overflow parking will be available along Baker Creek Road, though there will not be any services or guided viewing.

Emergency Assistance

IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, ALWAYS CALL 911 OR SEEK OUT PARK STAFF
Aid stations and extra water will be available at the Lehman Caves Visitor Center. Staff will be fully committed the morning of the eclipse, which may affect backcountry rescue operations. Exercise caution if you plan on hiking into any backcountry areas the morning of the eclipse, and ensure others not in your group are aware of your plans.

 

Learn about Eclipses, Safety, and More!

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    Eclipse Calendar

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    Camping during the eclipse

    • Campsite in Baker Creek Campground
      Campgrounds

      Great Basin has five campgrounds available for visitors. Some campgrounds are closed seasonally due to weather.

    • Brown sign with white lettering on fence posts
      Camping Outside the Park

      There are many options to camp outside Great Basin National Park when the campgrounds fill.

    • Information board at campground
      Camping Regulations

      Regulations for camping at Great Basin National Park are important for everyone's safety and the safety of the ecosystems at Great Basin.

    Last updated: October 26, 2023

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    Contact Info

    Mailing Address:

    100 Great Basin National Park
    Baker, NV 89311

    Phone:

    775-234-7331
    Available 8:00 am - 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day

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