Great Basin Itinerary: What to See in 1, 2, or 3 Days

By Jocelyn Pion · Data: National Park Service · ← Complete guide Great Basin

Great Basin National Park is easy to explore in two full days. Spend one day around Wheeler Peak and its ancient bristlecone pine groves, then use the other for Lehman Caves and the little-traveled side roads. With three days, you can add Snake Creek Road and spend a night beneath some of the darkest skies in the continental United States. One day is still enough for a fast-paced visit if you arrive early.

This is one of the least-visited parks in the NPS system. There are no shuttles, very few people, and roads you can often have almost entirely to yourself. That is exactly what makes Great Basin one of our favorite parks in the Great Basin region.

How Long Do You Need to Visit Great Basin?

1 day is enough for the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive and a short hike to the bristlecone pines. It is a quick visit, but a satisfying one.

2 days is what we recommend. You can tour Lehman Caves (a guided tour is required and lasts 60 to 90 minutes), drive up toward Wheeler Peak, and take your time watching the sunset from the high country.

3 days gives you time to explore Baker Creek Road, consider a night of camping on the mountainside, and look for white-tailed jackrabbits in the high-elevation transition zones.

After three days, Great Basin becomes a stop on a regional road trip rather than a single-park destination. Our Region and Road Trip pages cover these extensions.

Getting There, Park Entrances, and Getting Around

Great Basin lies in eastern Nevada and is accessible by car via U.S. 50. For road information and driving times from major cities, see the Great Basin access guide.

There is no park shuttle. You need your own vehicle. Cars and RVs can use Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive all the way to its end at about 9,840 feet, depending on weather conditions. Baker Creek Road and Snake Creek Road are gravel roads, so check their condition before setting out, especially after heavy rain.

There is no entrance fee. A guided tour reservation is required for Lehman Caves, with tickets available at the park entrance or online. Guided-tour prices are posted at the park entrance and on nps.gov.

The Great Basin Areas

Great Basin is organized around a vertical axis, from high-desert steppe at 4,920 feet to the summit of Wheeler Peak at 13,064 feet. Three areas account for most visits.

Lehman Caves and the Main Entrance Area

This is the park's administrative hub. The Visitor Center, Lehman Caves, and Lower Lehman Creek Campground are all here. The caves are a karst system formed in 550-million-year-old marble, with columns, stalactites, and rare shield formations preserved inside. Allow 60 to 90 minutes for the guided tour, depending on which route you choose, Grand Palace or Lodge Room.

Wheeler Peak and the Scenic Drive

Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive climbs 13 miles from the Visitor Center to a parking area at 9,515 feet. Along the way, the vegetation shifts from juniper desert to subalpine fir forests. From the end of the road, several trails begin, including the 2.5-mile Alpine Lakes Loop, the 4.3-mile round-trip Bristlecone-Glacier Trail, and the 8.1-mile round-trip hike to the summit of Wheeler Peak, with 2,625 feet of elevation gain. This is our favorite area of the park.

Baker Creek Road and Snake Creek Road

These two gravel roads run along the south and north sides of the range. Baker Creek Road leads to isolated campgrounds and lightly traveled hikes toward the alpine lakes. Snake Creek Road heads north and provides access to Lexington Arch, a 66-foot-tall natural limestone arch reached by a 5.9-mile round-trip hike. These areas are for visitors looking for solitude. They see few people in high season and are nearly deserted in the off-season.

Day-by-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Lehman Caves and Wheeler Peak

Arrive at the Visitor Center when it opens to reserve your cave tour. Morning time slots fill quickly during the busy season. While you wait, explore the exhibit on Great Basin geology.

After the caves, around 10:30 or 11 a.m., take Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. The road is slow and winding, so allow 45 minutes to reach the end-of-road parking area. Have lunch there, looking out over the glacial cirque.

In the afternoon, hike the Alpine Lakes Loop, which takes about two hours on easy terrain. If you still have energy, continue on toward the bristlecone pines. These trees are among the oldest living organisms on Earth. Some specimens of this species (Pinus longaeva) are more than 4,000 years old, and individuals on this slope have been dated to more than 3,000 years. Walking among them calls for a certain respect.

Head back down before the late-afternoon thunderstorms, which are common in summer between 2 and 5 p.m. Set up at Wheeler Peak Campground for the night. At this elevation, the stars begin to come out by 9 p.m.

Day 2: Wheeler Peak Summit or Baker Creek

On the morning of Day 2, choose between two options based on your fitness and how ambitious you feel.

Option A (experienced hikers): Go for the summit of Wheeler Peak. Start at 7 a.m. from the end-of-road parking area and return around 1 p.m. The hike gains 2,625 feet over 4 miles one way. The trail crosses an exposed talus slope, so progress is slow, but the view from the 13,064-foot summit stretches across several states. Be aware that the trail is snow-covered from September through June, and sometimes into July, depending on the year.

Option B (a more relaxed pace): Take Baker Creek Road. Drive back toward the entrance, then turn onto Baker Creek Road. The Baker Lake Trail climbs through an aspen and white-fir forest to a secluded alpine lake and covers 4.5 miles round-trip. There are few people and plenty of quiet.

The afternoon is open. Walk around the Visitor Center, read the signs about the park's astronomy program (Great Basin is a certified Dark Sky area), or head to Baker for dinner and a night in town.

Day 3 (Optional): Lexington Arch and Snake Creek

Spend the third day in the Snake Creek area. The gravel road is suitable for a standard car in dry weather. The round trip to Lexington Arch takes about three hours and covers 5.9 miles with moderate elevation gain. The arch is limestone rather than the sandstone found in Utah, so it formed differently and is rarer in the region.

Plan to leave by midafternoon to reach the next stop on your road trip.

Options for Different Trip Lengths

Fast one-day visit: Lehman Caves in the morning, with a reservation required, then the scenic drive to the Wheeler Peak parking area in the afternoon and the Alpine Lakes Loop. Be back before 6 p.m. Follow the plan in order and leave little room for improvisation.

Classic two-day visit: Follow the itinerary above, with Day 1 plus either Option A or B on Day 2, depending on your experience. This is the ideal plan for most visitors.

Regional road trip (three days or more): Great Basin fits naturally on U.S. 50 between Ely and Delta, Utah. To the west, Lake Tahoe and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest are half a day away. To the east, Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef in Utah are three to four hours away by car. Our Road Trip Guide details these combinations.

Itinerary Map

The NPS publishes an official Unigrid map of Great Basin. You can pick one up for free at the Visitor Center entrance or download it from the park website. The map covers roads, trails, campgrounds, and elevations. Always carry it with you because cell service is nearly nonexistent in the park.

The annotated Great Basin map follows the stops on this itinerary.

Where to Stay Along the Itinerary

The park has several campgrounds. Wheeler Peak Campground, Lower Lehman Creek, and Upper Lehman Creek are the main ones, and they open according to the season and snow conditions. For hotels and other lodging, Baker, Nevada, is the only nearby town. Ely, about 62 miles west, offers more options, including motels and restaurants.

The Great Basin lodging guide lists the park campgrounds and properties in Baker and Ely, along with price ranges and reservation advice.

Extend Your Trip: What to See Around Great Basin

Great Basin often becomes part of a longer road trip along U.S. 50 or through Nevada and Utah. Natural extensions include:

• Utah's parks (Bryce, Capitol Reef, and Canyonlands): 3 to 5 hours east, depending on the destination.
• Lake Tahoe and Reno: 4 to 5 hours west via U.S. 50.
• Cathedral Gorge State Park (Nevada): 2 hours south, with little-known clay erosion landscapes.

Our Region guide covers these multi-park routes, including driving times and the logic behind each loop.

The Best Itinerary for Your Available Time

You have 1 day: Lehman Caves in the morning, then the scenic drive and Alpine Lakes Loop in the afternoon. Start early and reserve the cave tour ahead of time.

You have 2 days: Add the Wheeler Peak summit hike or Baker Creek on the second morning. Stay at Wheeler Peak Campground for the dark skies.

You have 3 days: Add Lexington Arch via Snake Creek Road. Leave rested, without feeling like you rushed through the park.

For the best weather, see the Great Basin seasons guide. Great Basin's elevation creates sharp climate contrasts between the valley desert and the peaks at 12,800 feet.

Frequently Asked Questions