Outdoors with Don Q: Take a summer vacation at Nevada's only national park

How would you like to take a mid-to-late summer vacation at an out-of-the-way location, right here in the State of Nevada? 
If you are interested, did you know that our very own White Pine County is home to one of the nation's least visited and Nevada's only National Park — The 77,000 acre Great Basin National Park?

If you've never been there, here is a whole bunch of useful information:

How to get there: 
Take U.S. 50 (“The Loneliest Road in America") from Carson City to Ely, a distance of about 320 miles (about a six-hour drive) via Dayton, Silver Springs, Fallon, Austin, Eureka and then finally into Ely.

When you reach Ely, you might want to do as we did on our visit: Plan to kick back, relax and spend the night there. We ate dinner at The Big Apple restaurant and stayed overnight at the Bristlecone Motel. We highly recommend both of them. Then the next morning, after breakfast at The Big Apple, drive to Great Basin National Park, which is about 75 miles southeast of Ely.

To reach the park, take a combination of U.S. 6 and U.S. 50 south and east toward Delta, Utah. On U.S. 50 near the Nevada-Utah Stateline, take Nevada S.R. 487 south for about 10 miles to the tiny Town of Baker, which is the gateway to Great Basin National Park.

Great Basin National Park has no entrance fee, however, fees are charged for cave tours, campgrounds and use of the RV sanitary station.

Park history: 

Great Basin National Park was created on Oct. 27, 1986.
It was first proposed for National Park status back in 1922 but that effort failed due to strong opposition from mining and ranching interests. 
Congress created the Lehman Caves National Monument on Jan. 24, 1922, which is now incorporated within the park's boundaries.
Physical features: 
The Park contains a wide variety of physical features that range from hot desert areas to cold arctic zones, topped by Nevada's second highest mountain, Wheeler Peak at an elevation of 13,063 feet.

The park has desert areas, lush meadows, small ice-cold streams, crystal-clear lakes, rugged-looking mountain peaks, groves of pine trees, patches of quaking aspen trees, sagebrush and limestone caves.

Wildlife: 

Within its borders are a wide variety of mammal species including: Pronghorn Antelope, Bats, Bobcat, Unita Chipmunk, Coyote, Mule Deer, Rocky Mountain Elk, Black-Tailed Jackrabbit, Yellow-Bellied Marmot, Mountain Lion and Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep.

Attractions:
Visitors to the park can enjoy the 12-mile (8 percent grade) Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, with its spectacular views.

Note: Vehicles longer than 24 feet are not recommended to travel beyond the Upper Lehman Creek Campground. Be sure to heed that advice! That road is narrow, steep and winding.

The Scenic Drive ends at a campground and trailhead at an elevation of about 10,000 feet on the northern flank of Wheeler Peak.

From there, you can hike on different signed trails to destinations such as Teresa and Stella Lakes, the Bristlecone Pine Forest, the permanent glacier at the base of Wheeler Peak and even to the summit of the mountain. 
Bristlecone Pine trees are the oldest living things on earth, with some of the trees in the park being as much as 5,000 years old. 
Wheeler Peak Glacier is the only permanent body of ice between the Wasatch Mountains in Utah and the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California.

Lehman Caves: 

The Lehman Caves were first discovered in 1885 by a local rancher, Absalom S. Lehman.
Through the late 1800's - early 1900's, those caves were widely-known for hosting explorers, tours, parties, weddings, meetings, etc.

Lehman Caves Tours:
Ranger-guided tours are offered daily, except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
Ranger guided tours of Lehman Caves are offered as follows:
The Lodge Room Tour (8:30, 10:30, 12:30, 2:30 and 4:00).
The Grand Palace Tour (9:00, 11:00, 1:00 and 3:00).

Light jackets or sweaters are highly recommended, even on the hottest days. The caves temperatures are a surprisingly constant 50 degrees with 90 percent humidity. And, be sure to wear shoes with good traction as the walking trails may be wet and slippery.
Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Cave tour tickets can be purchased up to one month in advance.
They can not be purchased over the phone on the day of the tour.

Camping:

Lower Lehman Creek (elevation 7,300') has 11 camping sites.
Baker Creek (7,530'): 34 sites.
Upper Lehman Creek (7,752'): 22 sites.
Wheeler Peak (9,886'): 37 sites (RV's and trailers are not recommended).
Camping fees are $12.00 for developed campgrounds per night/per site or $6.00 for Senior or Access Pass card holders.

All park camping is on a first come, first serve basis.
No reservations can be made except for the Grey Cliffs Group Campground.
Don’t forget to take warm clothes and thick blankets for the cool evenings at those high altitudes. 


There are primitive camping facilities located along Snake Creek and Strawberry Creek. Primitive campgrounds have no fee. 
Food and supplies at Great Basin National Park: 
A concessionaire operates a small café/gift shop from April to October. 
Food and supplies in Baker, Nevada:
— The Border Inn, a 25-room motel
— D Bar X Lighting & Horns-A-Plenty Antler Art, hand-crafted artwork
— Fergie’s Firewood, $5.00 a bundle
— Baker Sinclair Gas Station: Self-serve gas and diesel is available 24 hours (credit or debit card required), with a laundromat, public restrooms, public and camper's pay showers.
— The Getaway Cabin, fully equipped
— Happy Burro Trading Post, food, drinks, arts and crafts
— Hidden Canyon Guest Ranch, lodge, teepees or cabins
— Silver Jack Inn and Lectrolux Restaurant, Deli, Bakery, Groceries, Espresso, Book Store and Gallery
— T & D’s country store, restaurant and lounge, food, drinks, supplies.
— Whispering Elms Motel, Campground and RV Park.

Finally:

If you're looking for an out-of-the-way place to spend your summer vacation, visit Great Basin National Park. 
For information, call the Great Basin National Park Visitors Center at (775) 234-7331 (ext. 242 for advance Cave Tour Tickets) or go to their Internet website at www.nps.gov/grba.


Bet Your Favorite Pigeon 

Bet your favorite pigeon he can't tell you the name of the very first National Park that was created in the United States.
If he grins and says, "Yellowstone National Park was created way back in 1872," you lose this bet.

— Writer Don Quilici is outdoor editor for Carson Now