Great Basin National Park; Wheeler Peak, Bristlecone Pines, Lehman Caves, record snow and no crowds

Great Basin National Park is only a small portion of the much larger Great Basin region extending from the Sierra Nevada east to the Wasatch Mountains. The Park’s three main attractions for the relatively few visitors venturing here (and a big plus for those that do!) include 13,000-foot Wheeler Peak, 2,000-year-old stands of Bristlecone Pines, and the fragile rock formations within Lehman Caves. Due to this past winter’s record snowfall, many feet of snow remain at the higher elevations making much of the park only accessible by snowshoes or skiing. The much-needed snowpack has creeks flowing strong, and Lehman Cave pools are as full as park staff have seen in the last 30 years.