Nevada's hidden gem..Great Basin National Park
Approaching Great Basin National Park on I-50, known as the “World’s Loneliest Highway”.
Las Vegas is the first thing that comes to peoples mind when they think of Nevada. Which is rightfully so, the stripe at night is a sight to be seen. But five hours north on the Nevada/ Utah border you will find another Nevada sight to be seen, Great Basin National Park (and you won’t have to worry about blowing the family nest egg here).
My main attraction to Great Basin was the dark sky, this park is extremely remote. Besides the town of Baker, population 68 there isn’t any sort of civilization for miles! The absence of light pollution combined with the high altitude makes the perfect situation for astrophotography.
I had kept my eye on the weather forecast since Capitol Reef National Park but it wasn’t looking good, clouds were predicted all night. So I decided to cut my loses and I stopped in to the “borders” gas station to pick up a 6 pack of Sierra Nevada’s, seemed fitting.
A late arrival is better than no arrival!
On to Wheeler Peak!
At 13,064′ Wheeler Peak is the second tallest peak in Nevada, just behind Boundary Peak. The park has six campgrounds to choose from. In search of the highest altitude I had planned to stay at Wheeler Peak campground. I was bit uneasy about the possibility of a lightning storm but it quickly faded when I reached the wheeler loop and began my search for a campsite.
There were more people at the campground than I would have guessed, but there were still a handful of open spots. The first one I had backed into proved to be far too exposed to the force of the wind, it gave me flashbacks to Guadalupe Mountains National Park, I quickly drove off.
The knife-edged mountains of Great Basin really caught me off guard!
Wheeler Peak, 13,064′
The summit can be reached on a 7.5 mile round-trip. Be sure to allow at least 5-7 hours total and leave early to avoid evening thunderstorms.
Not interesting in hiking? No problem
Another popular park attraction are the vast cave systems. The park contains over 40 known caves, filled with usual life and unique features. For distinctive groups of caves exist in the park. These groups are the Lehman Hill Caves, Baker Creek Caves, Snake Creek Caves and Alpine Caves. Tours can be booked at the Lehman Visitor Center but they are closed during the winter.
Lehman Creek and Baker Creek are also quite popular for fishing at the right time of year. Birdwatching, climbing and cycling are also great ways to experience Great Basin National Park.
Panoramic views of the Nevada landscape.
Overall,
Regardless of your interest Great Basin will take your breath away and leave with more money in your pocket than Vegas will! Get some fresh air and go explore!
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