The Great Basin

Some National Parks are remote, this one is to hell and gone. I mean that The Great Basin National Park is beyond remote. It sits in Eastern Nevada and is just neat. The geologic great basin stretches across two states, Utah and Nevada. A landscape of mountain ranges and basins on a high desert with lots of sun and little water. Then rises up Wheeler Peak.

Wheeler Peak is the 2nd highest mountain in Nevada and the only one with a glacier. There are also five groves of Bristlecone pines, The oldest living thing on earth. One as old as forty-nine thousand years old.

There are campgrounds that range from primitive to improved. All have potable water. Some are near the creek and some can accomadate RVs. This is not a place for the average flatland hiker, most of the trails are above eight thousand feet and go up from there. The trailhead to the Bristlecones and the glacier starts at nine thousand eight hundred feet and climbs another one thousand feet. The animals are of the norm; deer, mountain sheep, chipmunks that make you smile, and Golden Eagles, keep your small children close.

This park of 77,000 acres is a small jewel and as an added treat, tucked into the mountain behind the visitors center is Lehman Caves. A single cavern etched out of a layer of limestone. It is stunning and unique, with dazzling formations made of stone, but as delicate as a flower. Yeah, It's worth the trip. Leave early to avoid the desert heat and take extra water. I can tell you how to get there. But, you will still need a map of Nevada, look at the eastern border for U.S. highways 6/50 and make your plans. You can also check out the park by clicking here.