H wants to go this summer (he loves the great outdoors). Has anyone ever been? If so, do you have any tips on nearby hotels and other things to see/do in the area? I don’t know much about it, other than the fact that it’s in Eastern Nevada and it’s pretty remote. H would love to camp, but I’d prefer to stay in a nearby hotel if there is one. That said, I am fine camping if it’s the only option. Any tips/advice would be appreciated!
No tips or advice other than if you don’t already have one, you might want to apply for an America the Beautiful national park pass. Mine pays for itself the first time I use it (I qualify as senior) - 2022 Annual Pass | USGS Store
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I haven’t been but isn’t this park known for it’s dark sky that makes it perfect for star gazing. I remember watching a segment on it on tv so I just googled Great Basin and TV and there are all sorts of information. It looks pretty remote to me which is probably why it has such dark skies at night. Here’s a link about places to stay. Quite a variety to say the least! Where To Stay in Great Basin | Baker, Nevada — Discover Great Basin
We went there on the way back from Utah to California a few years ago. Drove Highway 50 back to Reno which was quite an experience, with amazing views on long straight stretches of road. We stayed in Ely (a reasonable selection of hotels) but it isn’t particularly close to Great Basin, we were just passing through. There didn’t seem to be much of anything in Baker, most people seem to camp at the park. We spent the previous night at Cedar Breaks National Monument in Utah which is stunning at sunset and was one of my favorite campsites ever:
The caves are recommended, also drive to the top of the road: you can either do a short loop from there or spend the whole day climbing Wheeler Peak (start early, especially if there’s a risk of summer thunderstorms).
But I think there are a lot of better parks to see in Utah, and we found the White Mountains in eastern California to be better for seeing the bristlecone pines. I can’t imagine staying for more than one night (unless you are climbing the peak and want a night either side of the hike).
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If you might be interested in the region geologically, it’s part of the Basin and Range province. The physiography represents the effects of a broad and ancient “extension” zone in which mountains (ranges) and basins (valleys) formed (through block faulting) by the opposite of the typical (compressive) forces that commonly form mountains.
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“Horst und graben.” I remember learning this as part of my geography degree eons ago.
We camped at Great Basin for several days a few years ago. We had an amazing experience and really enjoyed our time there. We’re fans of less crowded parks and enjoyed being able to hike without hoards of people. We did the following things:
Hiked Glacier Trail (which takes you past the last glacier in NV and the bristlecone pines)
Toured Lehman Cave
Hiked up to the top of Wheeler Peak (which almost killed me but was incredible!)
The campground was really nice and relatively quiet in July. We ate in Baker a few times, although I can’t remember which restaurants we ate at. There are just a couple there.
We had a great adventure in GBNP, but we enjoy some of the more obscure parks. Let me know if you have additional questions.
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Thanks for the info! Lots to think about! I’ve heard it’s a neat park!
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