Great Basin National Park
Great Basin National Park
In the shadow of Great Basin National Park's 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak, 5,000 year old bristlecone pine trees grow on rocky glacial moraines. Great Basin offers the solitude of the desert, the smell of sagebrush after a thunderstorm, the darkest of night skies, and the beauty of Lehman Caves. Full of wonders, Great Basin is a diverse region that awaits your discovery.
At A Glance
In The Park
Superintendent: Cindy NielsenPhone Number: 775-234-7331
Entrance Fees: Free
Sights: Lehman Caves; Lexington Arch; Wheeler Peak; Johnson Lake Mine; Lehman Orchard; Lehman Aqueduct; Rhodes Cabin
Important Dates
Established as Park: October 27, 1986By The Numbers
Acres: 77,180.00Highest Point: Wheeler Peak (13063 feet)
Annual Visitation: 78,524 (2006)
Location
Latitude / Longitude :39.036320 / -114.287420 (map it)
State: NV
Nearby Big City: Baker, NV
Gateway Communities: Baker, NV; Garrison, UT
Nearby Airports: Cedar City Regional Airport (CDC); Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC); Mc Carran International Airport (LAS)
Green Features
Has Recycling? : YesHas Shuttle System? : No
Has Volunteer Program? : Yes
Park Photos
Bristlecone Pine
James R Bouldin
Bristlecone Pine Forest
James R Bouldin
Landscape
NPS / Wikipedia
View More Great Basin Photos
In Detail
Animals Ants Over 60 ant species have been documented in White Pine County, Nevada, and 23 of these have been found in the park. Many more species likely occur in the park but have yet to be documented. Clos ... read more.
Camping Camping General Information Great Basin National Park has four developed campgrounds with vault toilets, picnic tables, tent pads, and campfire grills. There are no hookups or leveled parking sites ... read more.
Geology Rivers and Streams Ten permanent streams originate in Great Basin National Park between 6,200 and 11,000 ft. (1,890 and 3,353 m) elevation and are fed by numerous springs along their courses. The ... read more.
History History & Culture The story of the Great Basin is not just one of geology and landforms, but also of people. This region has been home to American Indians for thousands of years. In more recent times ... read more.
In A Nutshell Places Every place touched by human hands in Great Basin National Park has its story. The natural history of landforms and geologic processes overlaps human experiences in the same locations. Ancient ... read more.
Just For Kids FOR KIDS FOR KIDS IN THE PARK Junior Ranger Program This program provides children with an opportunity to learn about and interact with the park at their own pace. After completing a number of activi ... read more.
Natural World Watersheds A watershed is the area of land where all of the water that is under it (groundwater) and the water that drains off of it (precipitation) goes into the same place. Watersheds come in all s ... read more.
Park Regulations & Safety Permits Some recreational activities in the park require permits; for others registration is recommended. Backcountry Camping Backcountry camping does not require a permit, but registration is fre ... read more.
Photography After-Hours Cave Photography Great Basin National Park may schedule after-hour cave tours to take amateur and commercial photographers into Lehman Caves for filming or photography activities. A Spec ... read more.
Planning Your Visit Things To Know Before You Come Great Basin National Park provides a wonderful escape from civilization, but enjoying the solitude requires some advance planning for those used to modern conveniences. ... read more.
Plants Bristlecone Pines Great Basin Bristlecone pines (Pinus longaeva) are remarkable for their great age and their ability to survive adverse growing conditions. In fact, it seems one secret to their l ... read more.
Preservation Lehman Caves Ecology Life in Lehman Caves survives in such an unusual environment by seizing every opportunity possible. Bacteria lives in moist areas of the cave. This bacteria may be feeding on org ... read more.
Sights to See Lexington Arch How did it form? Rising high above the floor of Lexington Canyon, this imposing natural arch was created by the forces of weather working slowly over a span of centuries. Lexington ... read more.
Things To Do Guided Tours Lehman Caves Tours Lehman Caves is a beautiful limestone cave ornately decorated with stalactities, stalagmites, helictities, flowstone, popcorn, and over 300 rare shield formations. Joi ... read more.
Visitor Services Picnicking Lehman Caves Visitor Center Picnic Area has several accessible tables and fire grills. Restrooms and water are available in the summer season. This area is open from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm (su ... read more.
Walking & Hiking Winter Touring Solitude, stillness, and spectacular scenery greet visitors to Great Basin National Park in the winter. This quietest season of the year offers some unique experiences in the park. Th ... read more.
Recent News
- Secret National Parks: Great Basin National Park June 18, 2008, 11:29 am
- Why national parks, coal-fired power plants may be neighbors April 23, 2008, 2:23 pm
Great Basin In Depth
News from the Parks
Light Pollution Harms Not Just Stargazers
December 2, 2008 - 1:03pm
For students of astronomy, Sunday and Monday night is the equivalent of a World Cup Final, a new Mac operating system, and a Zeppelin reunion show all rolled into one. That’s because, as Horizons guest blogger Pete Spotts noted in his post Sunday, Jupiter, Venus, and the moon will gather to direct a lopsided frown at North America, an arrangement that won’t happen again for another 44 years.
December 2, 2008 - 1:03pm
For students of astronomy, Sunday and Monday night is the equivalent of a World Cup Final, a new Mac operating system, and a Zeppelin reunion show all rolled into one. That’s because, as Horizons guest blogger Pete Spotts noted in his post Sunday, Jupiter, Venus, and the moon will gather to direct a lopsided frown at North America, an arrangement that won’t happen again for another 44 years.
Tourists Bite on ‘Twilight’ Vampire Tours of Forks, Washington
December 2, 2008 - 12:59pm
Fans of the hit movie “Twilight,” inspired by Stephenie Meyer’s vampire series, are swarming tiny Forks on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, where the novels are set, and checking out “Twilight”-themed tours, hotel packages and even food.
December 2, 2008 - 12:59pm
Fans of the hit movie “Twilight,” inspired by Stephenie Meyer’s vampire series, are swarming tiny Forks on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, where the novels are set, and checking out “Twilight”-themed tours, hotel packages and even food.
Crowds Observe World AIDS Day In GG Park
December 2, 2008 - 12:56pm
People from across the country gathered in Golden Gate Park's National AIDS Memorial Grove Monday to observe the 20th annual World AIDS Day.
December 2, 2008 - 12:56pm
People from across the country gathered in Golden Gate Park's National AIDS Memorial Grove Monday to observe the 20th annual World AIDS Day.
Grounded in God, Green and Glaciers
December 2, 2008 - 12:37pm
Remember when Arizona Sen. John McCain criticized spending millions of taxpayer dollars to fund the DNA of grizzly bears in Montana during one of the presidential debates? “That’s us,” said David Restivo, a Roberts Wesleyan College alumnus and visual information specialist at Glacier National Park in Montana.
December 2, 2008 - 12:37pm
Remember when Arizona Sen. John McCain criticized spending millions of taxpayer dollars to fund the DNA of grizzly bears in Montana during one of the presidential debates? “That’s us,” said David Restivo, a Roberts Wesleyan College alumnus and visual information specialist at Glacier National Park in Montana.
Smokies' Formation Began 500 Million to 600 Million Years Ago
December 2, 2008 - 12:35pm
As the Great Smoky Mountains National Park prepares to celebrate its 75th year, students of history and geology are pondering questions that go back much farther than the park's creation in the 1930s. The most fascinating queries to them concern the actual formation of the mountains, their age and topography.
December 2, 2008 - 12:35pm
As the Great Smoky Mountains National Park prepares to celebrate its 75th year, students of history and geology are pondering questions that go back much farther than the park's creation in the 1930s. The most fascinating queries to them concern the actual formation of the mountains, their age and topography.
