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Great Basin National Park is a United States National Park established in 1986, located in east-central Nevada near its border with Utah. The park derives its name from the Great Basin, the dry and mountainous region between the Sierra Nevada and the Rocky Mountains. The park contains 120.6 mi² (312.3 km²) of land. The park is located approximately 200 miles north of Las Vegas, and takes about 5.5 hours by car (approx. 307 miles by car) from downtown Las Vegas.
It is notable for its groves of ancient bristlecone pines, the oldest living things known, and for the Lehman Caves at the base of Wheeler Peak which at 13,063 feet is the second highest peak in Nevada. The caves were originally protected in January 24, 1922 as the Lehman Caves National Monument, which was incorporated into the much larger national park.
The park lies in an arid region, and receives very little rainfall during most of the year. Most of the precipitation is received as snow or during summer thunderstorms. Winters are cool and summers are mild to hot. Weather can change quickly. Lehman Caves remains close to 50 degrees F, 90% humidity year round, a jacket and suitable walking shoes are recommended.
Trails
Great Basin is best explored by hiking. The park has 12 trails ranging from 0.3 miles to 13.1 miles. Trails range from short nature trails at 6,825 feet (Mountain View Nature Trail), to the Wheeler summit trail starting at 10,160 feet.
Lehman Cave
Visitor Center
The Great Basin Visitor Center, Located on Nevada State Route 487 in the town of Baker, is open daily 8:00 to 4:30 Pacific time, with extended hours in the summer. The Lehman Caves Visitor Center, located on Nevada State Route 488, is open daily 8:00 to 4:30 Pacific Time, with extended hours in the summer. It is 5.5 miles from Baker, Nevada, 0.5 miles inside the park boundary. The centers are closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Years Day.Great Basin National Park has between 79,000 and 89,000 visitors in a normal year, and operates on a budget of approximately $1.9 million.
