Great Basin National Park, where to stay?

[MN_Traveler]

Ive long heard about great basin, and several times passed by signs pointing to it ... but have not been there. Seems like a little visited, but beautiful park, and we are interested in trying togo there this summer.

We have a 44' DP, so staying at an in-park campground is not an option. My camping app says there are a couple places in Baker outside the park, but they are really small (but doable if there is space available).

For anyone who has been to great basin - are there any other options for parking the RV, and what was your impression of the park (we are mostly interested in photography and hiking)

[profdan]

I highly recommend Great Basin -- great hikes, great photography. Check out the links to our blog posts, below.

For a big rig, the only option is in Baker. The national park campgrounds are too tight, I think.

There is boondocking at Sacramento Pass, if you can live without hookups.

https://lookmomwerecamping.blogspot....ountry_30.html

https://lookmomwerecamping.blogspot....18-part-1.html

[MN_Traveler]

Beautiful photos. Likely cant do the full summit of wheeler (altitude would get my wife) ... but can do a partial climb. Where is that old, old tree? Also gotta love the dark sky - awful light pollution where we live.

Thanks for the reference to the BLM campground - i did not see that. Certainly can boondock for 3-4 days. batteries are a little weak, but i have solar to help minimize genny run time (and i might replace them this summer anyway).

Thanks again!

[twogypsies]

This is the place to stay with a big rig! Awesome views and only 20 mi. from Great Basin. Flat area right off the highway.

https://www.campendium.com/sacrament...ecreation-area

[profdan]

The old trees are on the Bristlecone Pine trail. Great hike -- not too long, cool air at ten thousand feet!

[MN_Traveler]

Thank you Dan!

[traveldawg]

There is a campground in Baker, NV. It's pretty much directly across the entrance to Great Basin NP. It isn't fancy, but it is full hookup. It's called Whispering Elms Campground. And when they say check in time is 2PM - they mean it.

We stayed here a few days last year. It worked well for us for our daily trips into Great Basin.

Check to see if you need a reservation for the Lehman Caves. The Bristlecone Pine trail is great as is the Alpine Loops trail. Teresa and Stella Lakes are very pretty too.

If you get some extra time you can kill an hour at the Baker Archeological Site. It isn't much but it gives some history and perspective to the area.

[tpaul]

Originally Posted by traveldawg

There is a campground in Baker, NV. It's pretty much directly across the entrance to Great Basin NP. It isn't fancy, but it is full hookup. It's called Whispering Elms Campground. And when they say check in time is 2PM - they mean it.

We stayed here a few days last year. It worked well for us for our daily trips into Great Basin.

Check to see if you need a reservation for the Lehman Caves. The Bristlecone Pine trail is great as is the Alpine Loops trail. Teresa and Stella Lakes are very pretty too.

If you get some extra time you can kill an hour at the Baker Archeological Site. It isn't much but it gives some history and perspective to the area.

We stayed there in 2020. Yup, not fancy but location is perfect. I think you'll love Great Basin. An amazing oasis in the desert. We too had passed the signs for it and wondered what it was for several years. We also experienced the "Loneliest Road", Hwy 50. from Utah to Baker and then on to Fernley. Talk about wide open spaces!

[MN_Traveler]

Originally Posted by traveldawg

There is a campground in Baker, NV. It's pretty much directly across the entrance to Great Basin NP. It isn't fancy, but it is full hookup. It's called Whispering Elms Campground. And when they say check in time is 2PM - they mean it.

We stayed here a few days last year. It worked well for us for our daily trips into Great Basin.

Check to see if you need a reservation for the Lehman Caves. The Bristlecone Pine trail is great as is the Alpine Loops trail. Teresa and Stella Lakes are very pretty too.

If you get some extra time you can kill an hour at the Baker Archeological Site. It isn't much but it gives some history and perspective to the area.

Yeah - I saw the Whispering Elms park on my app. Ive thought it would be my first choice - but if it were full or not available, I wanted to know if there were any other options.

thank you for the pointers on the park. We would like to see the caves ..... after all, Lehman is my wife's last name! :-)

[jl.kauai]

Just wanted to add to be careful when you get up near the park head quarters and beyond. The grades are really step and large motor homes not recommended beyond. I think it is 11 percent up to the top. A visit to the caves is a nice adventure. Good luck, Travato John.

[tpaul]

Originally Posted by jl.kauai

Just wanted to add to be careful when you get up near the park head quarters and beyond. The grades are really step and large motor homes not recommended beyond. I think it is 11 percent up to the top. A visit to the caves is a nice adventure. Good luck, Travato John.

And some spots are kind of narrow. When we went up into the park we encountered a class C motorhome hugging the center line. Took out the snap on side mirror extension on my Yukon.

[MN_Traveler]

Originally Posted by tpaul

And some spots are kind of narrow. When we went up into the park we encountered a class C motorhome hugging the center line. Took out the snap on side mirror extension on my Yukon.

Thanks. Situations like that are precisely why i bought my mini cooper w manual transmission (the big rig stays outside the park) . Narrow spaces and steep grades = no problem. I took it up pikes peak (14,000 ft) and many other high winding grades. It purred up the grade, and the brakes barely got warm on the way down (used 1st gear instead [emoji4]).

[NevadaNick]

There is also Border Inn at the Nevada/Utah border on Hwy 50 13 miles from the park.