Great Basin Hotels and Lodges: Baker, Ely, and Gateway Towns

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

Great Basin is one of the most remote U.S. national parks: there are no lodges inside its boundaries and no hotel chains nearby. Most visitors choose between a handful of places in Baker, Nevada (the gateway town, 5 miles from the entrance), and Ely, the nearest town with a real selection of hotels, about 68 miles north.

The short answer: Choose Baker if you want to be five minutes from the park and enjoy the night sky without wasting time behind the wheel. Choose Ely if you need a chain hotel, a restaurant that's open in the evening, or a comfortable base for a Nevada-Utah road trip.

Park lodges and gateway towns (4)

All LodgesGateway towns

• Gateway town Baker entrance Lehman Caves main entrance (NV-488, ~3 miles) · hotels, gas station, restaurants Directions ↗
• Gateway town Ely entrance Lehman Caves main entrance (US-50 + NV-487/488, ~68 miles) · hotels, supermarket, gas station Directions ↗
• Gateway town Delta entrance Lehman Caves main entrance (US-50 + NV-487/488, ~115 miles) · hotels, supermarket, gas station Directions ↗
• Gateway town Milford entrance Lehman Caves main entrance (UT-21 + NV-487/488, ~93 miles) · hotels, gas station, restaurants Directions ↗

Show interactive map Base map © OpenStreetMap · © CARTO

⚠ Lodge & Gateway town data is undergoing editorial review.

Sleeping Inside or Outside the Park?

The park has no lodge, so the choice comes down to Baker, with maximum immersion and limited options, or Ely, with full services and a longer drive. For a comparison that includes campgrounds, see the complete overview of places to stay in Great Basin.

Great Basin Lodging: What the Park Offers (and What It Doesn't)

The National Park Service doesn't operate any lodge, inn, or lodging inside Great Basin. There are no historic concessionaires or cabins in the woods. The park has intentionally been kept free of commercial development. That's good news for the sense of immersion and the starry skies. In practice, it means your room will always be outside the park. The options are limited, but they do exist.

Where to Stay Around Great Basin: Gateway Towns

Baker, Nevada: The Place to Stay 5 Miles from the Entrance

Baker has about 60 residents and one main street. Don't expect a lively town. That's exactly its charm. Lodging centers on one main property and a few short-term rentals.

The Stargazer Inn & Bristlecone General Store is Baker's main lodging option. The rooms are simple, clean, and functional. The attached General Store sells groceries, fuel, and a few souvenirs, which is especially useful when you arrive after a long drive through the Nevada desert. The decisive advantage is that you're 5 miles from the park entrance. Get up at 5:30 a.m., hit the trail at sunrise, then return to the lodge for coffee. No other lodging in Great Basin gives you that kind of start.

The Stargazer also has an established reputation among astronomy enthusiasts. Light pollution is almost nonexistent in Baker, and Great Basin is a certified International Dark Sky Park. A few short-term rentals are also available in town. The selection is limited, so check the usual booking platforms well in advance.

What to know before booking in Baker: evening dining options are extremely limited. Bring your own provisions, or eat at the General Store. Travelers who arrive without planning for it often find this surprising.

Ely, Nevada: The Most Choice 68 Miles Away

Ely is about 68 miles north of Great Basin, a little over an hour away via U.S. Highway 93. It's a former mining town with a real main street, several restaurants open in the evening, and a selection of hotels ranging from quirky to chain-standard.

Hotel Nevada is the town's landmark. Opened in 1929 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it offers well-restored retro rooms and a casino on the ground floor. If you want to spend the night in a building steeped in Old West history, it's a solid choice. Room comfort varies considerably by floor, so ask before booking.

Holiday Inn Express in Ely represents the other end of the spectrum. It's newer and standardized, with an indoor pool and included breakfast. It's ideal for families visiting several parks in a row, or for anyone arriving tired after a long drive and wanting something predictable.

Several other decent motels round out Ely's selection, generally costing between $80 and $150 per night depending on the season. That's expensive for a town this size, but options remain limited along this stretch of Nevada.

What to expect when staying in Ely: plan on about an hour and 15 minutes of driving each morning to reach the park entrance. Over a two-night stay, that adds up to four hours spent on the road. It's worth thinking through.

Delta, Utah: A Quiet Alternative for Travelers Coming from the East

Delta is a small Utah town about 62 miles east of the park via U.S. Highway 50. Few Great Basin visitors stop there, but it has a few reasonably priced motels for road-trippers arriving from Salt Lake City or the southeast. The selection is even smaller than in Ely, so consider it if your route takes you that way anyway.

How Many Nights Should You Spend at Great Basin?

Plan on at least two nights, or three if you want to take your time. The first day is enough to drive Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive and visit Lehman Caves, the park's only illuminated attraction. On the second day, you can tackle a proper high-elevation hike, such as Wheeler Peak at 13,160 feet, and spend the evening stargazing.

If you only have one night, stay in Baker. You'll save two hours of driving and wake up to the sunrise over the mountain. For a day-by-day plan, the Great Basin itinerary guide lays out the different options.

When to Book and What to Expect to Pay

Great Basin is one of the least visited U.S. national parks, with about 130,000 visitors a year compared with several million at Zion or Yellowstone. Low visitation doesn't make up for the limited hotel supply. The few rooms available in Baker go quickly during peak season.

June through August (peak season): the Stargazer Inn is often fully booked several weeks ahead on weekends. Don't show up without a reservation. Ely has more availability, but summer demand affects it too.

May and September through October (shoulder season): this is our recommended time to visit. The crowds are gone, rates are slightly lower, and weather remains pleasant even at higher elevations. In May, check snow conditions on Wheeler Peak before planning high-country hikes.

November through April (winter): the park remains open, but Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive may close because of snow. Baker is almost deserted in the off-season. Ely remains accessible and is less expensive. The guide to the best seasons for Great Basin covers conditions month by month.

Our Recommendation Based on Your Travel Style

Immersion and astronomy: Baker, at the Stargazer Inn. Five minutes from the park, guaranteed dark skies, and no morning drive. Book six to eight weeks ahead in summer.

Comfort and flexibility (families, multi-park road trips): Ely. More evening options, a pool for the kids, and a better base if you're combining Great Basin with Valley of Fire or a Utah park. Hotel Nevada is worth a look, while Holiday Inn Express is the dependable choice.

Budget: Ely motels remain reasonably priced outside peak season. Baker rentals can be competitive for a weeklong stay. If you have the gear, Great Basin campgrounds offer well-placed sites that are often less expensive.

Frequently Asked Questions