Nevada Part 2 - Weekend in Great Basin National Park

After a couple days in Las Vegas, we started the second leg of our adventure. Let me tell you, this was the most remote drive I'd ever taken. We cruised past miles and miles of never-ending desert on U.S. Route 93, and only saw about 2 gas stations and small villages along the whole route. Around 4.5 hours later, we arrived at Great Basin National Park. This is certified as an International Dark Sky Park and there is no entrance fee.

Friday

We headed straight to the main visitor center, which was equipped with a small cafe and gift shop. We enjoyed a bite to eat at a table near the window, and then headed on our way with a map in hand. We took the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, which is a 12-mile paved road that offers sweeping views of the desert and mountains. It brought us to the Upper Lehman Campgrounds, the parking lot, and the base of the popular trailheads.

The weather here was such a relief compared to southern Nevada. It was beautiful, but we only had time to complete a short hike this day. The Alpine Lakes Loop is 2.7 miles roundtrip and was a fairly easy walk through the woods and meadows. Teresa and Stella Lakes both lie along this trail. Their size was much different than expected, and they both appeared shallow and small in diameter. We consider them more like ponds than lakes, however, the sheer beauty did not disappoint.

While I know I may see places of much greater magnitude one day, this hike holds a special place in my heart. This was our first big national park, and the first time I'd been amongst the pines, alpine lakes, and glaciers. It was truly a little slice of heaven, and something I'd never pictured when thinking about Nevada.

After our hike, we headed to the small town of Ely, Nevada. Great Basin National Park is located in the tiny village of Baker; however, accommodations are extremely limited. Ely was about an hour away, and had a couple restaurants, gas stations, and a local hotel. We stayed at the Hotel Nevada, which has been around since Prohibition, but has since been renovated to give the rooms a more modern feel. There might have been some local AirBnBs too, but the rates here were very reasonable and were within walking distance to other things in the downtown area. It even included its own old-fashioned gambling hall.

We were hoping to stargaze that night, and started Googling nearby spots away from the town lights. We went about 25 minutes out to Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park. We drove down a gravel road for quite a ways, and found a random spot to pull over and turn off the car. The darkness was immaculate. We hadn't seen such clear stars in our home state of Missouri. While we heard that Great Basin would be the best for viewing, this was a good alternative.

Saturday:

We started off with a picnic at one of the tables in the main parking lot (on the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive) before heading off on this day's adventure. We took on the Upper Bristlecone Pine trailhead for a 3-mile, moderately strenuous hike.

First up was a visit to the Bristlecone Pines. These strange-looking trees are in fact one of the oldest species on the planet, and can only be found in a couple western states. They remain an iconic symbol for the park, and we loved that there were some informational plaques scattered about. You can just do the Bristlecone trail, or continuing hiking up to the glacier as well. We highly recommend adding this on to your journey. This was super cool to be so up close and personal with the glacier. We wandered a little bit through the rocks, but didn't want to go too far. There was still snow all around even though it was the middle of summer.

We strolled through a very short trail near the main parking lot afterwards. Sky Islands Forest is only a 0.3 mile, paved loop through a wooded area. It made for a relaxing brisk walk.

That night, we reserved a train ride back in Ely. We took the Sunset, Stars, and Champagne Train from Nevada Northern Railway. The vintage train took us on a 2 hour tour through the Steptoe Valley and included a complimentary glass of champagne. Additional mini bottles of wine & snacks could be purchased. An astronomy student was on board to help point out constellations when the night got darker, and had both a covered and an open cabin for viewing. We recommend you bring something warm to wear for the night, as it can get quite chilly.

The Evening Star Train sold out well in advance, but honestly I am so glad we went on this one instead. It was the best of both worlds - the gorgeous sunset and glimpse of the night sky made for an absolutely wonderful evening. This is one of the #1 attractions in the area and we can see why! These serene views were truly something.

Sunday

This was our last day in Nevada and there were still so many trails to choose from. Somehow, Hunter convinced me to attempt Wheeler Peak. At over 13,000 feet above sea level and 8.2 miles in length, this was incredibly challenging. This is the tallest mountain in the park, and we didn't quite come prepared. We started later in the day than we should have, and came dressed only in shorts and t-shirts - bad idea. The hike is long and thunderstorms are common in this area, so it's best to start early morning (oops). We also really underestimated how different the climate would be in Great Basin vs. Las Vegas, and hadn't packed accordingly.

We were probably a little over a mile away and could see where other hikers were starting up and over the peak. While I expected my calves to burn, I didn't expect how treacherous the winds up there would be. It was cold and so strong that I felt like I was going to be blown over the side of the mountain. The path kept narrowing, with not much place to pull over and take cover.

I don't know how accurate this is, but some hikers that passed us said it could be blowing anywhere from 50-70 mph. It was incredible, and I couldn't bear it any longer, so I requested that we turn around. While we didn't finish, we gained more hiking experience and would love to try again some day. (Understandably, I only snapped a few shots & videos).

While we know we may visit parks of greater magnitude one day, Great Basin will hold a special place in our hearts.

AllTrails List

Photo Gallery

Highlight Reel

TRIP BREAKDOWN

LENGTH OF STAY: 2.5 DAYS

📍 Baker, NV

💲 This National Park is FREE (no entrance fees)

🏨 $200 (total for two nights)

⛽ 🍽️ : variable