Summary
$0
Entrance fee
Historic Crowd Data
Avg. monthly visitors, 2015–2024 · National Park Service
Light
Moderate
Busy
Very Busy
Peak season is June–September, when around 65% of annual visitors arrive. For lighter crowds, aim for November–March.
Plan Your Visit
High-Altitude Hiking Safety13,063 ft summit▾
Park Entrance & Cave ToursNo fee · ticketed caves▾
Main Access
No Entrance Fee
NV-487, off US-50 near Baker, NV
Great Basin is one of the few national parks with no entrance fee at all. It's also one of the most remote — reached via US-50, "The Loneliest Road in America."
💡 There is no gas station inside the park. Fill up at Baker Sinclair in Baker, NV before heading in — it's the only fuel for miles.
NPS directions ↗
Lehman Caves
Ticketed Tours
Guided tours only, timed entry
The cave itself is only accessible on a ranger-led tour — no self-guided entry. Tickets sell out in summer; book ahead on Recreation.gov.
💡 Tour temperature stays around 50°F year-round — bring a light jacket even in summer.
Book cave tours ↗
Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive
Seasonal
12 mi, roughly June – October
Climbs from the valley floor to nearly 10,000 ft near the Wheeler Peak trailhead. Closes with the first heavy snow and reopens once plowed in early summer.
💡 Check current road status before you go — closure timing varies year to year with snowpack.
NPS road status ↗
Campgrounds5 areas▾
Lower Lehman Creek Year-Round ▾
Sites9
Elevation~7,300 ft
Price$20/night
NotesOnly campground open all year
Book on Recreation.gov ↗
Upper Lehman Creek Reservable in Season ▾
Sites23
Elevation~7,500 ft
Price$20/night
NotesPeak-season reservations, first-come off-season
Book on Recreation.gov ↗
Wheeler Peak Seasonal · High Elevation ▾
Sites37 (26 RV)
Elevation~10,000 ft
Price$20/night
NotesCloses as early as September with snow
Campground details ↗
Baker Creek First-Come, First-Served ▾
Sites37
NotesNo advance reservations — arrive early on weekends
Campground details ↗
Grey Cliffs Standard & Group Sites ▾
Sites16 standard + 4 group
Price$20 standard / $30 group
Campground details ↗
Landmarks & Trailheads5 stops▾
Lehman Caves & Visitor Center Area2 stops▾
Lehman Caves30–90 min tours
Guided tour only · marble cave, ticketed
Mountain View Nature Trail~30 min
Easy · loop near visitor center
High Country & Wheeler Peak2 stops▾
Wheeler Peak Trail~8.6 mi RT
Strenuous · summit, 13,063 ft
Bristlecone Pine Trail2.8 mi RT
Moderate · some of the oldest trees on Earth
Remote & Backcountry1 stop▾
Lexington ArchHigh-clearance rec.
Remote · limestone arch, rough access road
Things to Do5 categories▾
Hiking Trails4 trails▾
Alpine Lakes LoopEasy
Passes Stella & Teresa Lakes through alpine meadows and conifer forest; starts at 9,890 ft
2.7 mi loop · 440 ft
Bristlecone TrailModerate
Climbs to a grove of ancient bristlecone pines, among the oldest living trees on Earth
2.8 mi RT · 600 ft
Glacier TrailModerate
Continues past the Bristlecone grove to Nevada's only glacier at the base of Wheeler Peak; overlaps Bristlecone Trail for the first 1.4 mi
4.8 mi RT · 1,040 ft
Wheeler Peak Summit TrailStrenuous
Steep, exposed climb to the 13,063 ft summit; start at dawn to be off the ridge before afternoon storms
8.6 mi RT · 3,100 ft
Fishing4 waters▾
Lehman CreekConsumption advisory
Brook, brown & rainbow trout; NV fishing license required
Baker CreekOpen water
Brown trout downstream, brook trout upstream; NV fishing license required
Snake CreekCatch & release
Native Bonneville cutthroat trout, reintroduced 2019; catch-and-release encouraged
Johnson & Baker LakesCatch & release only
Alpine high lakes; artificial lures with single barbless hooks only, no bait or treble hooks
Night Sky Programs3 programs▾
Ranger Star TalksThu–Sun · Mem. Day–Labor Day
30-min talk plus 90 min of telescope viewing at the Astronomy Amphitheater near the visitor center; no reservation, first-come
Constellation TalksWed evenings · Summer
Ranger-guided tour of constellations and their mythology at the Baker Access Trail
Solar Scope ViewingSummer afternoons
Daytime telescope viewing of sunspots and solar features at the visitor center
Stargazing & Night SkyGold tier▾
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Great Basin is an International Dark Sky Park, Gold Tier — the highest designation — and home to the Great Basin Observatory, the only research-grade observatory inside a US national park. The park hosts an annual Astronomy Festival each September plus regular ranger-led night-sky programs. Best on new-moon nights — bring a red flashlight to preserve night vision, and dress warm even in summer, as high-elevation nights get cold fast. NPS night sky info ↗
Bird WatchingTop 5 species▾
Golden Eagle
Hunts above Wheeler Peak
Prairie Falcon
Nests on rocky outcrops
Pinyon Jay
Social flocks in pinyon-juniper
Clark's Nutcracker
Bristlecone pine forest
Mountain Bluebird
Sky-blue flier in alpine meadows
Stream Flow1 gauge▾
Lehman Creek near Baker, NV
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Gauge HeightLoading…
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Concession Information2 locations▾
Lehman Caves Visitor Center2 locations▾
WNPA Bookstore & Gift ShopYear-round
Books · Maps · Gifts
Seasonal CaféMay–mid Oct · 8 AM–3 PM
Light fare
Park Contact Information