Great Basin National Park’s Amazing Trees, Caves, Meadows, and More

Monday, September 5, 2022. We made it! What an amazing campsite. A stream flows next to us with a beautiful raging sound. Lots of small rivulets flowing and moving across the rocks. Grasses grow on the bank and hang into the water. Large shrubs of multi-stem water birch with red-lenticel speckled bark grow next to it. There is also wood rose, aster, yarrow, thistle, white spruce, and many bright white aspens with small quaking leaves. 

Figure 1. Stream by our Great Basin campsite.

Figure 2. Water birch (Betula occidentalis) growing by the stream campsite.

Figure 3. Aster growing by our campsite.

Figure 4. Wood's rose (Rosa woodsii) near our campsite.

Going to the Great Basin National Park was a bucket list trip for my husband Mark and me. I wanted to see the ancient trees, to feel at one with them and find the magic of this place. This was not our first time in this park. We stumbled upon it by accident in June 2017 while driving our son Derek’s car home from California. We were both so amazed by it and couldn’t wait to return.  

So, in September 2022 we did just that. I expected to commune with the old trees. I wanted to visit the flowing streams again and see the blooming plants. I wanted to camp by the mountain stream. All of that was better than expected, but what I didn’t expect was the magic we felt in the mountain meadow. 

Campground, Caves, and Night Sky

We really like the camping spot and just love this park. It just keeps surprising us.

We camped at the Lower Lehman campground in spot number four. It was a pull through spot – totally isolated from the other campsites and the sound of the creek made it even more private. There was a fire ban, so Mark cooked meals on our camper grill. We enjoyed egg and cheese burritos, pancakes, and coffee for breakfast. For supper he grilled burgers and quesadillas. The site was primitive, but our solar panels and rare generator use powered the camper enough for our needs. 

Figure 5. Mark cooking on our camper grill.

We spent a lot of time sitting by the stream and enjoying nature all around us. In the morning we watched the pretty sunrise over the mountain near our camper. In the evening we watched the sky turn dark and fill with stars.

Figure 6. Sunrise from camp.

This is a certified dark sky location, and the park includes an impressive amphitheater near the visitor center. They used red lights all along the long walk from the parking area to the amphitheater to respect the dark sky. The ranger gave a PowerPoint program against the building while two other rangers set up the massive telescopes. It was an interesting program. Unfortunately, the evening we went our sky was bright with a mostly full moon and there was significant cloud cover. Still, we were able to see Saturn in the telescope when it was our turn. It was a bright white sphere with rings. You could see Saturn’s moons too as small white dots. The ranger also pointed out other planets, some constellations, and where the milky way appeared. 

In contrast, I experienced complete darkness in the park’s Lehman cave. I went on a cave tour the first day. Mark tried to go, but his claustrophobia prevented his participation. It was the most amazing cave I’ve ever seen. The tour lasted about 90 minutes. We walked through various low hanging and tight areas and into larger rooms. I saw many stalactites and stalagmites and columns. This cave also has more shields and parachutes than any in the world. At the end our guide turned off the lights for two minutes so that we could experience total darkness. Eerie, yet peaceful.  

Figure 7. Parachute feature in Lehman cave.

8. Lehman cave structures.

 Bristlecone Pine Trees and Glacier Trail Hike on Tuesday, September 6, 2022

It is hard to fathom how old these trees are or what they’ve seen and experienced during their lifetime. A bucket list hike for sure!

The main purpose of this visit was the 2.8-mile round trip hike to the ancient bristlecone pine trees. At the turn around point, there was an interpretive trail that winds around a large grove of trees. The trees are amazing. We saw some estimated to be 3,300 years old, though there are in the park up to 5,000 years old. They are gnarly, but strong. The needles are short and tight in their brush shape – 5 needles per bundle. There are also limber pines (also with 5 needles per bundle), though they aren’t as old. The limber pines have brown bark while the bristlecone’s is more orange. 

Figure 9.  Rhonda with an Ancient bristlecone pine.

Figure 10. Limber pine (Pinus flexilis).

Figure 11. Bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva).

From the tree trail we decided to hike another mile up to the Wheeler Peak Glacier. We felt good physically, especially considering we started at 10,000’ elevation and had just hiked up another 1,000’ or so. The hike to the glacier was very rocky, especially above the tree line. There were many wildflowers up there – such durable plants in the harsh alpine ecosystem. There were flowers of blue, white, yellow, and a red, all with miniature leaves and habit. 

Figure 12. Rhonda in purple in middle of glacier. 

Figure 13. Alpine plants along the Glacier trail. 

Figure 14. Alpine mountain sorrel (Oxyria digyna).

Figure 15. Sticky polemonium (P. viscosum).

Figure 16. Glacier trail with alpine plants and snow patch in distance.

Figure 17. Cushion phlox (Phlox pulvinate)

Mark had to stop so I walked further towards the glacier. I got mostly there and probably was on top of the glacier, which is mostly under the surface. It was a hard walk back through the rocks, though it got better once we were below the tree line. 

Baker Creek Loop and Arctic Lakes Trail on Wednesday, September 7, 2022
Now we’re by the creek sitting on a bridge. The ice cold, clear mountain snow runoff water flows quickly under me. Big boulders covered in moss dot the creek. The water rushes around, over, and between the boulders in little waterfalls, calm pools, and small swirls. Along the banks are sedges and some water plants, large Douglas fir, white fir, and aspen too. Up the trail a bit we saw some very large Ponderosa pine – bright orange bubblegum smelling bark with long needles. (Yes, I stopped to smell the bark). Just off the bridge is a large patch of Jacob’s ladder with delicate compound leaves, though no blooms. 

This was the hike we did in 2017 that surprised us so much, though we didn’t do the entire trail that year. The trail follows the Baker Creek down over to an offshoot creek, to a big meadow, and back along Baker Creek again. It was mostly uphill (with a 1,300’ gain) until we turned to go back towards our Tiger motorcycle parked at the trailhead. We got turned around at the meadow and went the wrong way for a bit, but that revealed some great plants. 

Figure 18. Baker Creek. 

Figure 19. Manzanita on Baker Creek Loop trail.

Figure 20. Rabbitbush on Baker Creek Loop trail.

Figure 21. Blue elderberry (Sambucus cerulea) on Baker Creek Loop trail.

The meadow was a WOW moment. A big open green meadow with mountains all around and aspen at the edge. We saw a turkey there, and lots of sagebrush. 

Figure 22. Baker Creek Loop trail mountain meadow.

In late afternoon, we hiked the alpine lakes trail 3.3 miles past two lakes: Stella and Teresa. They are both very shallow and are even more shallow in the current drought conditions. They freeze solid in winter so there aren’t any fish in them. As we approached Stella Lake there was a stream with orchids lining it. They were not in bloom, but still were charming as they drooped loosely over the slender stream. 

Figure 23. Along the Alpine Lakes Loop trail.

Figure 24. Orchids along stream on Alpine Lakes Loop trail.

Figure 25. Teresa Lake.

Figure 26. Stella Lake.

This hike had more wildlife than others so far. There were lots of mule deer all along the trail. It must have been their feeding time of day. We also saw birds, including raptors, jays, warblers, and swallows. 

Figure 27. Mule deer along Alpine Lakes Loop trail.

We spent four days in this amazing National Park. In between hikes and resting at camp, we rode the Tiger motorcycle up and down and around the park. Below is a video of us riding the Triumph Tiger motorcycle along Wheeler Peak road. As can be seen, the views are outstanding from my vantage point as passenger. 

This National Park continues to surprise and excite the inner core of our being. What a magical, spiritual place. We can’t wait to come again.