Current Projects

 

Infrastructure Projects at Great Basin National Park, 2025.

NPS

Current and Scheduled Impacts (Updated 07/23/25)

• Wheeler Peak Campground and Bristlecone Trailhead Closure beginning August 17, 2025. Wheeler Peak Campground and the Bristlecone Trailhead will be closed for road work beginning at 4:00pm on August 17th. Campground and Trailhead will reopen on August 28th at 8:00am. All trails remain open and alternate parking will be available at the Summit Trailhead, located at mile 11 of the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. Ask a ranger for more information on hiking and access restrictions.
• Lower Lehman Creek Campground Closure beginning May 19, 2025. Closure in place for continuation of the Lower Lehman Creek Rehabilitation and Expansion project.
• Lehman Caves Closure anticipated to begin October 2025. Closure will allow for replacement and upgrade of the current electrical system in Lehman Caves during the slowest times of year.

Lehman Caves Electrical Upgrade and Replacement

This SNPLMA funded project will replace the aging lighting system inside Lehman Caves with modernized equipment and infrastructure. As it currently stands, parts are no longer manufactured for a number of cave systems, and sections of the cave are forced to go dark as components fail. The original lighting system was installed in 1941 and was replaced with the current lighting system in 1977.

Dates: Winter 2025 through Spring 2026

Status 07/2025: Demolition and construction are slated to begin in Winter of 2025. Anticipated closure of Lehman Caves begins in October for the first phase of the project.

Refurbish and Improve the Lower Lehman Creek Campground

This project involves redevelopment and expansion of Lower Lehman Creek Campground from 11 to 20 sites, including accessibility upgrades, a host site, information kiosk and trailhead improvements, new waterlines, and an expanded entrance road. Three sites will be upgraded to accommodate those with accessibility needs.

Dates: May 19, 2025 through Winter 2025

Status 07/2025: Work will continue beginning May 19th to expand the campground by adding additional campsites and rehabilitating existing ones.

Alternatives: Camping will be available at other campgrounds in the park. All park campgrounds are on Recreation.gov. Find more camping information on our campgrounds page.

 

Completed Projects

Pavement Preservation Project

This project includes a chip seal, micro surfacing, patching, crack sealing of all paved park roads and parking lots to improve the visitor experience, reduce maintenance costs, and extend the life of the existing pavement surface. Chip seals typically occur on 10 year cycles, with the Scenic Drive only undergoing two since its creation many decades ago.

Dates: Beginning week of July 8th through October 2024.

Status 10/16/2024: The chip seal and pavement preservation has been completed on paved roads within the park and in park facilities in Baker. No further road closures expected.

Protecting Lehman Caves Through Improved Infrastructure and Outreach

This project will remove aging and ecologically damaging sections of the cave tour path and replace them with updated materials and components allowing for a safer visitor experience and improving the long term infrastructure of the cave tour path.

Dates: Winter 2023 through June 9, 2024

Status: New tour paths and platforms have been installed in the Cypress Swamp and Sunken Garden. New infrastructure has been installed to support future Wild Cave Tours and maintain natural airflow through the deeper rooms.

Upgrade and Improve the Bristlecone Recreation Area and Trailhead System

A major renovation to the most heavily trafficked trailhead in the park includes replacement and expansion of asphalt parking lots, accessibility upgrades, crosswalks, a new picnic area, and improved signage.

Dates: Late July 2024 through October 2024.

Status 10/16/2024: The Bristlecone Trailhead has reopened and work has been largely completed.

Rehabilitation of Wastewater Collection and Water Distribution Systems

This Great American Outdoors Act - Legacy Restoration Fund project replaced the aging sewer collection system and potable water distribution piping in the areas surrounding the Lehman Caves Visitor Center. Previous systems were installed in the 1960s were heavily deteriorating, necessitating replacement.

Dates: Through Winter 2024 through July 2025

Status 07/03/2025: Work has completed and water and wastewater lines have been replaced.