Escape the Crowds at Nevada’s Great Basin National Park

Not far from Lehman Caves, among aspens, fir and a snow-fed creek, Lower Lehman Creek Campground, off Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, is the only campground that’s open year-round. Undeveloped campsites along the Snake Creek River were inherited from the U.S. Forest Service. These are no-frills primitive sites without drinkable water, toilets, tent pads or grills, but they are free to campers. The park also allows backcountry camping in much of its wilderness areas for free. Registration is not required but strongly encouraged for campers’ safety.

Baker. Outside the park, the closest lodging option is the funky Stargazer Inn, which sits along Nevada State Route 487 in Baker, a sleepy little artist community.The pet-friendly motel houses 10 simple, motel-style rooms and suites complemented in front by a quaint courtyard with seating, a garden and potted flowers, and in back by patios. The inn’s new owners recently opened the Bristlecone General Store — with groceries, books, hardware and all the “things travelers need” — in the former restaurant space. About 8 miles north of Baker, slot machines leave no doubt that the Border Inn Casino — with 29 rooms, an RV park, arcade and pool table — sits on the Nevada side of the state border.

Ely. An hour’s drive west of the park, there are several places to stay in Ely (population 3,924), the largest town in Nevada’s White Pine County. The six-story Hotel Nevada and Gambling Hall, a Prohibition-era hangout that opened in 1929, was once the state’s tallest building. Other options include the locally owned Bristlecone Motel and a handful of chain motels.

Where to eat

In the park. Great Basin Cafe and Gift Shop, conveniently located next to the Lehman Caves Visitor Center inside the park, is open April through October and serves up a full menu of comfort food, ranging from a simple house salad to the stacked smokehouse nacho fries. For dessert, treat yourself to an ice cream float or a sundae, topped with a cherry. The park’s picnic options are plentiful, with six picnic areas, all with restrooms. Mather Overlook, 8 miles into Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, is an especially inviting picnic setting with a wooden deck, viewing telescopes and sweeping views of the valley below.

Baker. Whether it’s the full-service grill at the Border Inn or the build-your-own burger bar at the 487 Grill (open seasonally), dining in and around Baker is scarce but scrumptious. Across from the Stargazer, the menu changes daily at the chef-helmed Sugar, Salt & Malt, but the restaurant closes from November through March.

Ely. For a casual meal, dine at the 24-hour Denny’s inside the Hotel Nevada or the 1950s-era soda fountain at the Economy Drug store, serving deli sandwiches and lime rickeys. For a more upscale experience, fill up on a juicy steak inside a fabricated jail cell at the quirky Cellblock Steakhouse (once home to Ely’s first city hall).

Elizabeth M. Ruggiero/Getty Images

Things to do

Soak up the scenery. The 12-mile Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive starts near the park entrance, prior to the Lehman Caves Visitor Center, winding up the mountain through numerous ecological zones, up to 10,000 feet above sea level, and back. As the narrow road climbs toward the sky, the landscape of low-lying shrubs transforms into taller trees such as fir, juniper and pinyon before reaching isolated groves of bristlecones. From your car along the way, you’ll see plenty of beauty, possibly even a glimpse of wildlife, such as mule deer and marmot. Pullouts and parking lots make it easy to take in scenic views and snap Instagram-worthy photos, and many provide access to hiking trails.

While the drive remains open year-round for the first three miles, up to Upper Lehman Campground, much of it is closed in the winter, with closing and reopening dates variable. “We can get snow in October that will shut us down at the higher elevations for the rest of the year,” Andler says. “Most years, if we’ve had even average snow, the road won’t open until Memorial Day; sometimes even July 4, though that’s extreme.” There wasn’t much snow until January one year, she says, so the road didn’t close as usual and some visitors made it north of Wheeler Peak and went ice skating on Stella Lake.

Take a hike. Hiking opportunities are plentiful, with 12 trails of varied length and difficulty, from a leisurely stroll or roll on the wheelchair-accessible, 0.3-mile Sky Island Forest Trail, starting at the end of Wheeler Peak Summit Drive, to strenuous climbs, such as the steep, 5-mile Dead Lake Loop, off Snake Creek Road. Bird-watching abounds on the family-friendly, 2.7-mile Alpine Lake Loop. Spot a bald eagle, a great horned owl or one of the other 136 known species in the park; pick up bird-spotting checklists at either visitor center. You can reach most trailheads by foot or car, but the moderately difficult trail to the park’s six-story, limestone Lexington Arch is accessible only with a four-wheel-drive vehicle.

Altitude and timing are important considerations when hiking here. Some visitors experience altitude sickness on trails reaching beyond 10,000 feet. Others have been caught in afternoon storms or the darkness of night, without a source of light.

In winter, the park lends out snowshoes to hikers for free at the Lehman Caves Visitor Center.