Great Basin - Western National Parks Association

Great Basin

National Park

Return to Parks Map

Welcome!

From the 13,063-foot summit of Wheeler Peak to the sage-covered foothills, a stunning diversity of the larger Great Basin region unfolds. Enjoy the solitude of the wilderness, walk among ancient bristlecone pines, bask in the darkest of night skies, and explore mysterious subterranean passages. There’s a lot more than desert!

Explore More National Parks

Great Basin National Park, originally protected as Lehman Caves National Monument in 1922, was established in 1986. The park spans 77,180 acres and contains a wide variety of landscapes, including caves, meadows, forests, and mountains. Park visitors can explore and appreciate Wheeler Peak, a part of the Snake Range and the second-tallest peak in Nevada, with a summit at 13,063 feet. Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive invites visitors to enjoy a paved 12-mile path through several different ecological zones while gaining 4,000 feet in elevation. Lehman Caves, another stunning park feature, is actually a single cavern filled with unique cave formations. Descendants of the Shoshone, Paiute, and Ute tribes today trace their ancestry back to the Great Basin and think of it as home.

Stories from Great Basin

Contemporary Climate History and Climate Change Impacts in Great Basin National Park
Keep Reading
Meadow and Lake-Sediment Based Reconstructions of Holocene Fire Histories for Sub-Alpine and Montane Ecosystems in Great Basin National Park
Keep Reading
Red Fox, snow, Great Basin National Park
Analysis Finds 11 Native Red Foxes in Great Basin National Park About 300,000 years ago, during the last big Ice Age, a small red creature traversed the deep snow of...
Keep Reading
Since our founding in 1938

WNPA has provided more than

$136 million

in aid to our partner parks to fund educational programs, initiatives, and scientific research

See how we help
Kids in Parks

National parks are places where kids can dream up great adventures! Taking in amazing scenery. Testing out new skills. Exploring places kids may have only heard about. But most importantly, creating new memories with friends and family.

Learn More

What’s Happening at This Park?
Astronomy Program 09-30-2023 07:00 PM - 09:00 PM Free Great Basin National Park offers astronomy programs in the park at the Astronomy Amphitheater each Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday during the summer and fall. Programs consist of a 30 minute Ranger Presentati...
Grand Palace Tour 09-30-2023 09:00 AM - 10:30 AM Free Grand Palace Tours are approximately 90 minutes long. The Grand Palace Tour travels 0.6 miles, and children must be at least 5 years old to join the Grand Palace Tour (except on tours November through February)... To check in for the tour, speak with a ranger at the Lehman Caves Visitor Center during business hours and at least 15 minutes before your tour time. Reservations may be made up to thirty (30) days in advance
Lodge Room Tour 09-30-2023 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Free Lodge Room tours last about 60 minutes and explore about .5 miles of the cave. This family-friendly tour visits the Gothic Palace, Music Room, and Lodge Room as it winds its way through cave passages. Tours are... To check in for the tour, speak with a ranger at the Lehman Caves Visitor Center during business hours and at least 15 minutes before your tour time. Reservations may be made up to thirty (30) days in advance
Astronomy Program 10-07-2023 06:30 PM - 08:30 PM Free Great Basin National Park offers astronomy programs in the park at the Astronomy Amphitheater each Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday during the summer and fall. Programs consist of a 30 minute Ranger Presentati...

Our public lands are our public commons. They belong to all of us as part of our natural and cultural heritage. They remind us of a larger world that has existed long before the arrival of humans and will survive long after we are gone. –Terry Tempest Williams, Author & Conservationist

Shop Online

Bring the Parks Home

When you can’t get to a national park for a visit, experience it from the comfort of your home. WNPA’s online store is packed with ranger-approved park collectibles, books, toys, and clothing. Shop for a special item.

Go to the store