Information
Contact Great Basin National Park, 100 Great Basin National Park, Baker, NV 89311 (tel. 775/234-7331; www.nps.gov/grba). Be sure to ask for a copy of the park's excellent newspaper-style guide, Bristlecone, which includes a map, current activities and costs, and nearby services. Those who want to buy maps and books can contact the nonprofit Western National Parks Association, which operates two bookstores in the park, through a link on the park's website. For information on businesses in the nearby community of Baker, see the Great Basin Business & Tourism Council's website, www.greatbasinpark.com.
Visitor Center
The visitor center, on Nev. 488 at the northeast corner of the park, sells tickets for cave tours. It contains the Great Basin Association's bookstore, distributes brochures and other free information, and shows exhibits on the park's geology, history, flora, and fauna. In addition, a short film provides an introduction to the park.
The park is open daily, but the visitor center and cave are closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Fees
Park entry is free. The 90-minute cave tour costs $10 for adults, $5 for children 5 to 15 (kids under 5 not permitted); the 60-minute tour costs $8 for adults, $4 for children 5 to 15, and free for kids under 5. Cave tour tickets can be purchased by phone (tel. 775/234-7331, ext. 242) from 24 hours to 30 days in advance. Camping costs $12 per night in the developed campgrounds, free at backcountry campsites.
Special Regulations & Warnings
Although backcountry permits are not required, those planning to go into the backcountry are encouraged to register at the visitor center, where they will also receive information on the latest backcountry conditions and regulations. Hikers going to the top of 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak may develop symptoms of altitude sickness (headache, nausea), in which case they should turn back immediately. Vehicles are also sometimes affected by the elevation and steep roads. The 12-mile Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, which leads to several trail heads, is steep and winding, and trailers and motor homes over 24 feet long are prohibited after the first 3 miles (to Upper Lehman Creek Campground).
At this writing, cellphone service in the park was not reliable.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
