The Great Basin National Park, including much of the South Snake Range, is a superb example of a desert mountain island. From the sagebrush at its alluvial base to the 13,063-foot summit of Wheeler Peak, the park includes streams, lakes, alpine plants, abundant wildlife, a variety of forest types, with groves of ancient bristlecone pines, and numerous limestone caverns, including the beautiful Lehman Caves.

Lehman Caves National Monument, proclaimed January 24, 1922; transferred from the Forest Service August 10, 1933; incorporated into Great Basin National Park October 27, 1986. Acreage 77,100, all federal.

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General Information

Visitation

Highest in July and August; lowest in January and February.

Location

Baker, Nevada

Address

Great Basin National Park
Baker, NV 89311-9702

Telephone

(702) 234-7331

Operating Hours & Seasons

Daily, summer: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. PDT; daily, winter: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. PST; closed Thanksgiving, December 25, and January 1.

Climate & Recommended Clothing

This is a fairly arid region, most precipitation is received as snow or during summer thunderstorms. Winters are cool and summers are mild. Be prepared for changes in weather. Lehman Caves is 50 F, 90% humidity year round; a jacket and suitable walking shoes are recommended.

Directions

The main park entrance is five miles west of Baker near the Nevada-Utah border. Driving distances in miles are Salt Lake City, 234; Las Vegas, 286; Reno, 385 and Cedar City, 142.

Transportation

Personal vehicle, bicycle, hiking.

Fees, Costs & Rates

Campgrounds: $5 per night, $2.50 with Golden Age and Access Passports. RV sanitary station $1. Lehman Caves tours: Adults, $4; ages 6-15, $3; 5 years and under, free; Golden Age and Access cardholders, $2.

Golden Eagle Passport

The Golden Eagle Passport is an entrance pass to any national park, monument, historical site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge that charges an entrance fee. It is a great convenience for those who plan on visiting several different areas that charge special fees. It is valid for one year from the purchase date. A Golden Eagle Passport may be purchased for $50 at any National Park Service entrance fee area or by mail. To order by mail, send check or money order (no cash, please) to:

National Park Service
1100 Ohio Drive, SW
Room 138
Washington, DC 20242
Attention: Golden Eagle Passport

Where entry is by private vehicle, the Golden Eagle Passport will admit the passholder as well as any passengers. Where entry by private vehicle is not possible, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents.

The Golden Eagle Passport will not reduce use fees, such as those for camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or cave tours. It covers entrance fees only.

Golden Age Passport

The Golden Age Passport is a lifetime entrance pass for those United States residents 62 years or older. These may be purchased at any National Park Service entrance fee area for a one-time processing fee of $10. The Golden Age Passport cannot be purchased by mail or telephone. Proof of age and citizenship or permanent residence must be shown at the time of purchase.

The Golden Age Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. When entrance is not via private vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder as well as children, spouse, and parents.

The Golden Age Pass grants a 50% discount to the holder on any federal use fees charged for things such as camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, or tours. It does not, however, reduce the price of special recreation permit fees or fees for concessions.

Golden Access Passport

The Golden Access Passport is a free entrance pass to any national park, monument, historic site, recreation area, and national wildlife refuge for those who are blind or permanently disabled. The Golden Access passport may be obtained at any National Park Service entrance fee area. Proof of a medically determined disability and eligibility for receiving benefits under federal law is necessary at purchase.

The Golden Access Passport will admit the passholder and any passengers in a private vehicle. Where entrance is not by vehicle, the pass will admit the passholder, spouse, children and parents.

The Golden Access Passport also provides a 50% discount on any federal use fees charged for services and facilities. It does not cover special recreation permit fees or fees charged for concessions.

All passes described above are non-transferable.

Facilities & Opportunities

Visitor Center/Exhibits

Introductory slide show and exhibits are available at the visitor center.

Trails & Roads

Roads and trails open seasonally as snow conditions permit. Summer months are the best for access to the high country. The road from Baker to the park visitor center is open year-round. Wheeler Peak scenic drive opens and closes with changes in weather, but is always open for 3 miles to Upper Lehman Campground. Many backcountry dirt roads are available in summer months.

Programs & Activities

Regularly scheduled tours of Lehman Caves are offered year-round, more frequently in summer. Campfire programs, guided walks, and Junior Ranger programs are offered Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Lodging & Camping Facilities

Limited motel accommodations are available in Baker. The nearest cities are Ely, 70 miles to the west and Delta, UT, 100 miles to the east. Four developed campgrounds provide water (in summer), restrooms, fire rings and picnic tables. Primitive campgrounds along Strawberry Creek and Snake Creek provide tables and pit toilets, but no water. Only Lower Lehman Campground is open year-round. Other campgrounds and primitive sites open as snow levels permit.

Food & Supplies

A concessionaire operates a cafe and gift shop from April to October. Restaurants and a small grocery store and gas station are available in Baker.

Other Concessions & NPS-Managed Visitor Facilities and Opportunities

A bookstore located at the visitor center is managed by the Great Basin Natural History Association. The bookstore includes a large selection of books, maps, slides and postcards on the area. Call (702) 234-7270 to order maps or trail guides.

Special Needs

A parking area is available for buses and RVs at the visitor center. Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive is not recommended for large RVs or buses.

Recommended Activities & Park Use

Stop at the visitor center and take a tour of the cave. Drive the scenic road to the base of Wheeler Peak. From there, follow easy to moderate trails to alpine lakes and the bristlecone pine forest.

Reservations & Permits

All cave walks are limited to 30 people. Tickets for cave tours may be purchased when you arrive in the park or by phone. Walk-in tickets can only be purchased in person the day of the walk. At least 18 spaces are available on each walk. Cash, Check, Visa and MasterCard are accepted.

Tickets may be purchased at least one day in advance by calling (702) 234-7331, but no more than 30 days prior to the day you wish to tour the cave. Up to 12 spaces are available on each walk. Advance sale tickets must be paid for at the time of purchase by Visa or MasterCard and there are no refunds. Golden Age and Golden Access passport holders must have card numbers when purchase is made to receive discount. Passport must also be presented when tickets are picked up.

School groups and bus tours must call at least two weeks in advance so special arrangements may be made if staffing permits. Call the park for current information on group sizes and teacher to student ratio requirements.

Reservations for group picnic area should be made at least three weeks in advance. Fees for picnic area vary with group size.

Basic Visit Recommendations

During snow season allow at least half a day to visit caves and explore the visitor center. During summer allow at least a full day to explore the park, more if you enjoy hiking and exploring backcountry roads.

Visitor Impacts

Most roads and trails are closed during the winter months due to snow levels. Contact visitor center for current details. Cave tours are limited to 30 participants per tour. Holiday weekend cave tours often fill early in the day.

Additional Information

Write Superintendent, Great Basin National Park, Baker, NV 89311-9702 or call (702) 234-7331.

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History

Many different peoples have lived in the Great Basin. The vast majority lived lightly on the land, harvesting available animals, seeds, tubers, nuts and fruits without significantly modifying their environment. Among these, the Fremont lived near what is now Great Basin National Park.

Two Fremont sites were found in the area. The first site, located a mile and a half north of Baker, was inhabited around 1000-1100 A.D. Though its boundaries are unclear because of sediments deposited by mountain runoff, the area is thought to cover one square mile. A pit house and adobe-walled structure were found in the village, along with grayware, shell and turquoise beads, hammerstones and bone tools. Different artifact concentrations throughout the site represent Fremont movement through time, likely caused by stream flow changes in the valley. The most recent excavation of the site occurred in 1990. Tentative plans exist to expand excavation of the site to gain a broader perspective of the Snake Valley Fremont.

The second site, located near Garrison on the Utah-Nevada border, is of special interest to archeologists because of its irregularly shaped oval mounds and shallow depressions or basins. Under the mounds are the remains of buildings along with pieces of pottery and bone tools.

The Fremont are thought to have lived between 400-1300 AD, with the height of their culture around 1000 A.D. Evidence of the Fremont has been found in the Great Basin and on the Colorado Plateau with some clans sedentary and others mobile. A Harvard archeology student, Noel Morss, discovered the first traces of the Fremont culture in 1931 in south central Utah. Since the artifacts were found on the banks of the Fremont River, he called the people "the Fremont".

Four common artifacts distinguish the Fremont from other Native Americans who lived in the Great Basin. First, they wove one-rod-and-bundle baskets, a style of construction that involves wrapping fibers around rods that circle the basket. Second, they made unique moccasins, the heel of which was constructed from the ankle of a deer or mountain sheep. Also, they fashioned three-dimensional trapezoidal clay figurines with identifiable hair "bobs" and necklaces, which are also seen in their pictographs and petroglyphs. Finally, the Fremont made pottery of gray clay coils tempered by adding granular rock or sand to the wet clay to ensure even drying and prevent cracking. Pottery is the single item that allows archeologists to identify the Fremont throughout the region.

Many people wonder whether the Fremont were like the Anasazi, who lived in the Southwest during the same era. Some evidence indicates a possible link between the two cultures. Excavation at some sites has revealed both Fremont and Anasazi artifacts. South of the Henry Mountains of Utah, in Ticaboo, a young girl was buried wearing Fremont moccasins, but in her grave Anasazi pottery was found along with points common to both the Anasazi and Fremont. We know the two groups lived during the same time and that their territories overlapped, yet the details and extent of their interactions remain a mystery.

The Fremont began to disappear around 1250 A.D. Archeologists have two theories about why this occurred. First, climatic changes made farming conditions unfavorable, so the Fremont had to return to a more nomadic existence and follow the animal herds. The second theory holds that a new group of hunter-gatherers migrated into the area from the southwest section of the Great Basin soon after 1000 A.D. They were the Numic-speaking Ute, Paiute and Shoshone, whose descendents still live in the Great Basin. The Fremont may have perished, or they may have integrated into the Numic-speaking groups. The most likely possibility is the Fremont were forced to move. Most evidence points toward a northeast migration. A replacement of Fremont artifacts by those of other groups suggests they were pushed out and did not join the new groups. The most recent Fremont artifacts, dating from 1500 A.D., were found in the Snake River Plain of southern Idaho and the Douglas Creek area of northwest Colorado, the northern and eastern edges of the Fremont region.

The key to understanding the Fremont is variation. They were farmers, growing crops of corn, as well as nomadic desert hunters and gatherers, who lived on pine nuts, crickets and mountain sheep. They were small bands of highly adaptable people living in environments of varied landscapes. Like their successors, the Ute, Paiute, Goshute and Shoshone, they needed to be very resourceful to develop and maintain communities in the arid Great Basin.

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Reservation Information

All cave walks are limited to no more than 30 people. Tickets for cave tours may be purchased when you arrive in the park or by phone. Walk-in tickets can only be purchased the day of the walk. At least 18 spaces are available on each walk.

Advance sale tickets may be purchased by calling (702) 234-7331 at least one day in advance, but no more than 30 days prior to the day you wish to tour the cave. Advance sale tickets may not be purchased the day of your tour. Up to 12 spaces are available on each walk. Visa or MasterCard must be used to pay for advance sale tickets and there are no refunds. Golden Age and Golden Access passport holders must have card numbers when purchase is made to receive discount. Passport must also be presented when tickets are picked up.

School groups and bus tours must call at least two weeks in advance so special arrangements may be made if staffing permits. Please call the park for current information on group sizes and teacher-to-student ratio requirements.

Reservations for group picnic area should be made at least three weeks in advance. Fees for picnic area vary with group size.

All park campgrounds are on a first-come, first-serve basis; no advance reservations can be made. Campsites cannot be "saved" or reserved for friends or relatives who may be arriving at a later time. Pets must not be left unattended and must be kept on a leash (6 feet or less in length) at all times.

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