3 Best Things to Do in Great Basin National Park
Protecting Bristlecone Pines over 5,000 years old, Nevada’s only glacier, and numerous plant and animal endemics that can only be found in the Snake Range, Great Basin National Park is truly an island in the sky, being surrounded by one of the harshest deserts on all sides.
That being said, Great Basin National Park is pretty much next to nothing in terms of being convenient to get to.
On top of this, most of the best things to do within the park involve some level of hiking or backcountry experience.
For this reason, I highly recommend coming to Great Basin National Park with the intention to hike a number of trails, as there are truly few other things to do off Wheeler Peak Scenic Dr., the main road in Great Basin National Park, that aren’t trails.
Hiking Checklist - Great Basin
Obviously, for camping, you will need general backpacking gear. For this reason, I wrote a separate post about what backpacking gear is worth the money, from my experience, and what the best alternatives are to save you money.
Read My Separate Post: Best Ultralight Backpacking Gear
In addition, here is a complete list of must-have things that you will want for any hike in Great Basin National Park.
Osprey 3L Water Bladder - The Osprey 3L water bladder is the most universal hiking and backpacking water bladder on the market, and it’s my go-to because of the slide-off seal that allows it to be quickly filled from the top. Additionally, individual parts are easily replaceable, such as the bite valve.
Blister / Heel Protectors - I swear by these cheap, amazing heel protectors to prevent blisters for nearly every kind of hiking and backpacking that I do!
Black Diamond Headlamp - Personally, I recommend the Black Diamond Storm because it is one of the brightest, lightest, and longest-lasting headlamps on the market—and trust me, the weight-to-battery-life ratio really does matter!
Hiking / Trail Running Shoes - Depending on the type of trail, I prefer to use either the Keen Targhee for longer, more rugged hiking or the HOKA Zinal Trail-Running Shoe for lighter, less intense trails. In either case, both have been amazing to me for many years across countless environments, and both can be found in men’s and women’s sizes. - (Men’s Keen / Women’s Keen) (Men’s HOKA / Women’s HOKA)
Waterproof Rain Shell - You never know when it may rain, and I’ve learned over the years that a rain shell is far better than a rain jacket. By this, I mean that it’s best to have something that the water will roll right off of, which is why I recommend the Patagonia Torrentshell 3L available in both men’s and women’s sizes.
Sun Shirt w/ Hood - A quality sun shirt can be your best friend on a trail with minimal shade, which can be found in both men’s and women’s sizes.
High SPF Sunscreen - Packing high-SPF sunscreen is a must for long days outside!
3 Best Things to Do in Great Basin National Park
The following list is written in no particular order of best or worst.
However, my experience in Great Basin National Park was limited to only a short stay, where I didn’t take photos on every trail I visited. For this reason, I have every intention of returning for a longer visit to hopefully see some more of what Great Basin has to offer!
On a different note, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
1. Wheeler Peak Trail
Distance: 8.7 miles / 14.0 km
Standing tall at 13,064 ft. (3,982 m), Wheeler Peak is the tallest mountain in Great Basin National Park.
For this reason, Wheeler Peak is one of the most sought-after hikes within the park, but there are a few things to consider before making the climb.
First, the Wheeler Peak Trail is very exposed and hot during the typical summer climbing season, which is one main reasons why you’ll likely want to get an early morning/ middle-of-the-night start on the trail.
Second, there are multiple trailheads to consider, which really comes down to either more distance from the Wheeler Peak Trailhead or more elevation gain from the Alpine Lakes Trailhead.
Personally, I recommend the traditional Wheeler Peak Trailhead for a slightly easier ascent, which is the route linked below.
AllTrails: Wheeler Peak Trail
2. Alpine Lakes Loop Trail
Distance: 2.6 miles / 4.2 km
There aren't a lot in terms of natural alpine lakes across the Snake Range. However, both Stella and Teresa Lake, off the Alpine Lakes Loop Trail, are easily the two most accessible lakes within Great Basin National Park.
Additionally, this relatively easy loop can be extended with the Glacier Trail to hike to Brown Lake, for only an extra 0.4 miles (0.6 km) each way.
AllTrails: Alpine Lakes Trail
3. Lehman Creek Campground
Both the Upper and Lower Lehman Creek Campgrounds are two of the most beautiful front-country campgrounds within Great Basin.
That being said, there isn’t a lot in terms of lodging or other services near Great Basin, meaning all campgrounds within Great Basin National Park are very popular during the summer travel season.
For this reason, it’s important to reserve your campsite as soon as you know your dates, which can either be done directly through Recreation.gov below or by clicking the links.
Book Here: Upper Lehman / Lower Lehman
No information is collected by this website when using the provided Recreation.gov booking widget. All reservations made here are secure through the official website.
Additional Early Season Gear
Depending on the winter snowpack, many trails in Great Basin National Park can be covered in snow well into June or even July.
For this reason, micro-spikes are a must on many upper-elevation trails throughout the park, such as the Wheeler Peak Trail.
Therefore, I recommend coming prepared, as many hikers miss out on trails that they could have done simply for this reason alone. I personally use the Yaktrax below.
Best Way to Find Places to Stay!
Wherever I travel, I love to start my search for places to stay on VRBO.
Even if I don’t end up booking through them, I think it’s one of the best ways to see what’s in the area!
Washington
Best Way to Book Rental Cars!
I travel quite a bit, and I know firsthand that finding a good rental car deal can be a challenge, but that’s why I recommend comparing all of your options with Discover Cars.
In short, Discover Cars is a well-known, reputable business that allows you to search for the best deal across companies, and they have the best full-refund cancellation policy I’ve ever seen, valid up to 72, or sometimes even 48, hours prior to your reservation!
Book Here: Discover Cars
Discover Cars!
Safety
There are no bears in Great Basin National Park.
However, there are Mountain Lions and one venomous rattlesnake: the Great Basin Rattlesnake.
Wildlife aside, most of the danger associated with exploring Great Basin National Park has to do with the summer heat/ dehydration, lightning strikes (which are common at high elevations during the afternoon in the summer), and talus slopes (loose rock) found in areas across the Snake Range.
Additionally, in the event of an emergency, cell phone service is extremely unreliable across the park, and satellite messages via iPhone or another means may be the only way to contact help.
As always, find the most up-to-date information and conditions on the official National Park website.
National Park Service: Great Basin National Park
U.S. National Parks Pass
Did you know that the same America the Beautiful Pass that grants access to all 63 U.S. National Parks can be purchased in advance at REI?
Yes, you can save time when you arrive by purchasing your National Park pass, along with your other outdoor gear, at REI before traveling to the park!
More U.S. National Parks
If you’d like to read more about some of my best recommendations when visiting other U.S. National Parks, check out some of my other posts below!
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