Great Basin Fast Facts
How big is Great Basin National Park?
Great Basin covers a total area of 77,180 acres or 121 square miles.
How many people visit Great Basin National Park?
144,875 people visited Great Basin in 2021. A table showing all years can be found at Great Basin Visitation Stats.
When was Great Basin National Park created?
Great Basin was made a national park on October 27, 1986.
What are the highest and lowest elevations in Great Basin National Park?
Great Basin’s lowest point is 6,195 feet at Snake Creek. The highest point in Great Basin is 13,063 feet on Wheeler Peak.
What time zone is Great Basin National Park located in?
Great Basin is in the Pacific Time Zone.
How much does it cost to enter Great Basin National Park?
There is no entrance fee for Great Basin National Park.
Five Random Facts About Great Basin
The larger Great Basin ecosystem is a 200,000 square mile area that drains inward. All precipitation in this region evaporates, sinks underground, or flows into lakes. No water reaches the ocean.
Great Basin National Park has some of the darkest night skies in the United States. The very remote location and resulting low light pollution makes it a premier stargazing area.
On January 24, 1922, the Lehman Caves area was first protected as Lehman Caves National Monument. Much later, on October 27, 1986, the monument was greatly expanded to include the surrounding mountains and redesignated Great Basin National Park.
Great Basin is one of the few national parks where bristlecone pines can be found. These small, unusual trees live for thousands of years in very harsh conditions.
Lexington Arch is one of the largest limestone arches in the United States. It is reached by a rough unpaved road and a further trail.
Where is Great Basin National Park?
Great Basin National Park is located in an extremely remote area of eastern Nevada, not far from the Utah state line. The tiny town of Baker is just outside the main entrance to the park, but there are few services available. The nearest city of any size is Ely, Nevada, about a 90 minute drive away. Further directions and maps can be found at Getting to Great Basin.