TravTalk India Online Magazine
For the outdoorsman looking to get away from it all, Great Basin National Park in Nevada, USA, is the place to bump to the top of your to-do list. The park is known for its spectacular high elevation and mountainous terrain peppered with cascading streams, lakes and bristlecone pine trees more than 4,000 years old.
Whether it’s hiking, rock climbing, cross-country skiing, camping or wildlife viewing, this park seems to have it all. Great Basin National Park has no entrance fee. Here are 5 of the top reasons why you must visit Great Basin National Park for some much-needed recreation.
Reason 1: Hiking
Great Basin National Park boasts more than 60 miles ranging from 6,200 feet to 13,063 feet in the southern part of the Snake Mountain Range. Since the park is positioned beyond that 13k elevation mark, the hiking season is June-September.
Reason 2: Stargazing
Half the park can best be experienced after dark. Whether or not you’ve experienced true darkness before, or you pride yourself as an astronomy hobbyist, the night skies at Great Basin are sure to impress. During most summer nights, the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye, as are thousands of constellations, planets, nebulas and galaxies.
Reason 3: Adventure & discovery
A must-see at Great Basin National Park are the mighty Lehman Caves. Tours of Lehman Caves offer a glimpse at stalagmites, stalactites and rare cave formations called helictites that seem to defy gravity. When heading out on a guided tour of this unique cave system, be sure to keep an eye out for shield formations. While most other caves will likely have one or two of these unique formations, Great Basin National Park has more than 300.
Reason 4: Wildlife
Great Basin National Park offers a diversity of habitats, from alpine areas to caves and creeks, making it suitable for a variety of animal species to thrive. While the mule deer can be seen throughout the National Park, even crossing the road at times, yellow-bellied marmots can be seen along the Baker Creek Road. In fact, if you’re lucky enough, you might even be able to spot the elusive mountain lion or a bobcat. And, from the campgrounds to the roads and along the trees, be sure to view some wild turkeys.
Reason 5: the drive
You’ve got to take the calmest stretches of road ever to get to the park. Drive the Loneliest Road in America, the stretch of U.S. Route 50 that traverses central Nevada, and we guarantee you’ll find more than peace and quiet. If the weather and conditions are right and your vehicle is up for some dirt on its tyres, you can cut up and over a small pass via Osceola Ghost Town and point your lens at some fabulous views, as well as old ruins from the town.
