Top 10 Things to Do in Great Basin National Park Area - Late Fall/Winter/Early Spring

 Although most people visit the Great Basin National Park area from late spring to early fall  (this top 10 list applies then), there is plenty to do in the off-season, which is generally considered late fall through early spring. Based on more than 25 years of living in the area, here are some recommendations:

1. Lehman Caves

This beautiful cave and one of the oldest tourist attractions in Nevada (opened for tours in 1885) is open year round. The cave is the same 50 degrees no matter if it's winter or summer. The number of tours are greatly reduced in the winter, and you're much more likely to get on a tour with less than the 20-person maximum, which allows the guide to stop in additional locations. As of this writing, cave tours are at 9:30 am (90-minute Grand Palace tour) and 2:30 pm (60-minute Lodge Room tour), with additional tours on weekends. It's good to make reservations in advace at Recreation.gov. 

Even if you've been to the cave before, the new cave lighting system highlights features you haven't seen before--I guarantee it. I've been in the cave hundreds of times and am still seeing new things!

Options: Virtual Cave Tours of Lehman Caves are available anytime and show off the tour route in ways you might not see during an actual tour, as stops are made in some of the smaller passages.

Also inquire about CaveSim, a cave in a trailer that lets you experience wild caving without damaging a real cave. It's located outside the Great Basin Visitor Center, and hours are variable. 

Lint and Restoration Camp is a different way to visit Lehman Caves, helping to remove the tiny pieces of lint that come off people's clothing and clean the cave. Lint camps are usually held in winter, with volunteers getting an up-close look at the cave.

2. Visitor Centers

Generally just the Lehman Caves Visitor Center is open in the winter, with its excellent displays of Discover the Dark, focusing on the cave and night skies. You can also check out the park movie (22 minutes) and the Western National Parks gift shop. Hours as of this writing are 9 am to 3 pm. You can call for the most up-to-date info at 775-234-7331.

This winter, the Great Basin Visitor Center will also be open 9 am to 3 pm thanks to Western National Parks, which has a larger gift shop in this venue. The displays in this visitor center concentrate on the different habitat zones you encounter as you move from the valley floor to the mountain top, plus cultural displays, including the Forgotten Winchester Rifle. Make sure you check out the Artist-in-Residence artwork including the beautiful stained glass window.

Option: If it's after hours, you can find lots of information about the area on the Great Basin National Park website, as well as the Great Basin National Heritage Area website. In addition, check out the Great Basin National Park Foundation website or YouTube channel, which includes special presentations for the park's 40th anniversary.

3. Baker Archaeological Site

This Fremont site just outside Baker (to the northeast, look for the signs) is a great stop in winter. Make sure to get the field guide at the beginning of the trail so you can learn more about how these people oriented their buildings to the sun so that sunrays would enter cerrtain buildings at harvest and planting times. Imagine how they would have spent their winters in their homes, which were built partly below ground. 

Options: Bahsahwahbee is a special place in Spring Valley, home of swamp cedars and memories of indigenous peoples.

4. Hiking/snow-shoeing/cross-country skiing

Great Basin National Park has over 80 miles of trails, which are technically open throughout the year, but many are very difficult to access in the winter.  But there are still some great places to go, and the snow opens up some additional opportunities. You can rent snow shoes for free at the visitor center. Be aware of snow etiquette: if there are ski trails, do not snow shoe or step in them if there's room to snow shoe beside them. Dents in the ski trails can cause skis to get stuck and cause the skier to fall. 

a. Baker Creek Road/trails. Drive up Baker Creek road to the gate or trailhead (road open to various locations depending on weather). This is a great place to do snowshoeing or skiing around Grey Cliffs campground, connector trail, Baker Creek campground. More advanced up the trail system.

b. Upper Lehman Creek Trail. Very steep, but scenic. Alternatively, just have fun in Upper Lehman campground. Or try out the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive beyond the gate.

c. Snake Creek Road. Winter gate, but can ski/snow shoe/hike beyond. Very gentle road.

d. Strawberry Creek Road. Winter gate, but can ski/snow shoe/hike beyond. Slightly steeper road than Snake Creek, but less steep than trails.

Option: Sacramento Pass Recreational Area has trails, free camping, and a fishing pond. Located about 10 minutes from Baker, take Highway 487 north out of town and then take a left on US Highway 6/50.

5. Pruess Lake Pleistocene Gully

Here's a destination you might not think of. South of Garrison, Utah is Pruess Lake aka Garrison Reservoir (there's a dam, but much of the year the water doesn't reach it, and originally the site was a lake, so I prefer that name). During Pleistocene times (roughly 11,700 to 2.8 million years ago), water spilled out of the lake in sufficient quantities to make a big gully. Winter is an ideal time to hike there, as the snakes are in their dens, and you can scamper about exploring the side canyons and mini-badlands without worry. Look for shells in the walls. 

Here are a couple posts for inspiration:

Adventure Walk in the Gorge

Sunday Hike in the Gully

Option: Pruess Lake in winter is great. The water is low, inviting you to explore the shoreline and find California floaters, a big clam. If it gets cold enough, this is where locals go to ice skate (definitely test the ice and be wise, there's no one nearby to rescue you if you fall through). Walking around the lake can be a fun adventure. 

6. Gandy Warm Springs/Crystal Ball Cave/Devil's Gate Slot Canyon

I love spending half a day or a full day up in Gandy. There's a lot to do, even in winter. Gandy Warm Springs stays 80 degrees year round. So it feels good in the water, but is kind of cold getting out! Crystal Ball Cave stays about 55-60 degrees year round. It's closed November-December 2026, but will open up after that for tours. 

Option: Nearby Devil's Gate Slot canyon is short and sweet.

7. Crystal Peak

Cooler times of the year are an ideal time to visit, as Crystal Peak can be really hot in the summer. This small volcanic peak really stands out, and afternoon sunlight makes it glow. Some ponderosa pines grow in gullies, contrasting with the surrounding pinyon and juniper. Rock on the outskirts is the same as that found at nearby Fossil Mountain, and if you look closely, you might be able to find fossils. 

Option: Fossil Mountain and Ibex Loop can be added to the Crystal Peak itinerary or done all on its own. Playas in the area are magical.

8. Night Skies

Winter means longer nights, which means you can observe the night skies without staying up past your bedtime! Great locations abound, including Baker Archaeological Site, Baker Ranching Exhibit, nearby gravel pits, and more. If dark skies are a main goal of your visit (and enjoying the Bortle 1 experience), be sure to check the moon phase before planning your visit.

Special events:

December 13-14 Geminid meteor shower

December 21-22 Ursid meteor showerr and winter solstice

January 3-4 Quadrantid meteor shower

Option: Full moon hikes, held monthly (except December) by the Bristlecone General Store. These are fun 2-3 mile hikes under the full moon.

10. Birding

Winter birding is accessible; there aren't too many birds to be overwhelmed, but there's enough to keep it intersting. Plus, birding is shown to be an activity to keep your mind sharp, and it's a portable hobby--you can do it anywhere!

Some hotspots include Great Basin National Park, designated an Important Bird Area. I recommend the plowed Lower Lehman Campground--park and walk through. Upper Lehman Campground is also good. It's closed in the winter and you may need snowshoes or skis to access. Townsend's solitaires, robins, wild turkeys, mountain chickadees, red-breasted nuthatches, and more are possible. 

Another Important Bird Area is the David E. Moore Bird and Wildlife Sanctuary between Baker and the park, and a good place for pinyon jays, bushtits, spotted towhees, flickes, and more.

The Snake Creek Rearing Station up Snake Creek is an excellent birding spot, with wild turkeys, mallards, an occasional belted kingfisher, song sparrows, and more.

Down in the valley, walking around the town of Baker yields a variety of bird species such as goldfinches, magpies, white-crowned sparrows, and more. Pruess Lake south of Garrison has water birds if it's not totally iced over.

The Snake Valley Christmas Bird Count will be held Thursday, December 17, and volunteers are welcome. Read about a Past CBC

Optional: Great Backyard Bird Count in mid-February. Check eBird for recent sightings in the area.

10. Tour Baker

Last but not least, enjoy a leisurely day (or bad-weather day) soaking in the Baker sights. Wait, you might say, I can pass by Baker in the blink of an eye. Well, you could, or you could slow down and see that there's more than meets the eye. A map of town is on the back of the meeting notice board by the post office.

Local businesses have reduced winter hours, but generally you can find something open at least part of the day. Find all the details at: https://www.greatbasinpark.com/

• The Great Basin Cafe, next to the Lehman Caves Visitor Center, has board games you can enjoy with a great view of the valley, along with warm drinks and food. Open limited hours in the shoulder seasons.
• The Whispering Elms Bar is open selected nights and becomes a local hangout.
• Sandra's Taco Truck is open sporadically to the delight of those wanting some authentic Zacatecas-style food.
• The Bristlecone General Store is the town hub, plus a writer's and reader's retreat. Closed during December but open the rest of the year with varying hours.
• The Lantern Cafe is the town's newest establishment, open during the winter months on the first weekend of the month for breakfast and dinner. 
• The Border Inn has a cafe, bar, convenience store, pool table, and more and is open the most hours of any business. Located a few miles from downtown Baker on Highway 50 at the Utah/Nevada stateline.
• Second Saturday market at the Snake Valley Community Center, 9 am - 12 pm. Come see what local goods are for sale!

Option: The artwork in Baker has been increasing, and you can take an art walk!

Bonus: Area Events/Destinations

Fire and Ice Festival in Ely, Nevada includes a cross country ski/snowshoe/fat tire race, bonfires, and much more. Jan 15-17, 2027.

Snow Goose Festival in Delta, Utah includes a 5k run, quilt show, vendors, plus great bird viewing. February 20-21, 2027.

Ely, NV: 

• Nevada Northern Railway train rides, museum 
• White Pine Public Museum home of the Cave Bear
• Garnet Hill find your own garnets, amazing view of Ruth Mine
• Ward Mountain mountain biking, camping, disc golf
• Ely Renaissance Village step back in time to see cultural background of Ely; also visit the nearby Ely Art Bank
• White Pine Aquatic Center modern facility, lap swimming available all day and periodic open swim hours (and McGill Swimming Pool (Pond) is also a lot of fun)
• Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park well-preserved charcoal ovens and nice trails, plus camping
• Cave Lake State Park fishing, boating, trails, camping with showers!
• Comins Lake fishing, boating

Delta, UT: 

• Topaz Relocation Site and Topaz Museum one of several internment camps during World War 2-the museum downtown has fantastic exhibits 
• Great Basin Museum taste of pioneer days and a cool rock and fossil exhibit
• Pahvant Butte hiking 
• Sunset Knoll finding gemstones 
• West Millard Swimming Pool with a high dive!
• Tabernacle Hill Lava Tubes easy access--please help keep clean

Milford, UT: 

• Frisco Ghost Town charcoal ovens, cemetery, and remains of one of the wildest mining towns in Utah
• Newhouse Ghost Town old building remains
• Rock Corral Recreation Site cool rocks, camping

Feel free to add in the comments your favorite winter events and destinations in the area!

My Great Basin Wildlife Safari

 

I told my husband I wanted to go on a wildlife safari. So we loaded ourselves and the dog up in the pickup on a Friday evening and headed down to the fields on the ranch. It was golden hour, and the lighting and the animals didn't disappoint! First we saw a bunch of mule deer bucks over in the meadow. 

Down in the field we saw a couple elk. They have been driving us crazy because they don't jump over fences well like deer or crawl under them like pronghorn. They pretty much just run over them, smashing the fences.

Then we had a mix of deer and pronghorn. The two pronghorn are together in the middle, looking at the camera.

Don't believe me how big elk are? They wandered over by the deer, and you can see below just how huge they are. It just begs the question, At what elevation do deer turn into elk?

Now it was time to turn to the birds. The Canada geese are starting to show up. The early birds are eager to head south. In the background, the ravens are having a party on the pivot.

We saw more geese flying in, with stormy skies in the background.

It was fun watching them land and join the gaggle of geese.

Some sandhill cranes have also started their journey south. I just love hearing their sounds!

My husband is really good at spotting wildlife from afar, and he glimpsed this great blue heron hanging out in a small pond.

On another morning I saw these two deer near a different field.

And this beautiful hawk on a wheelline.

I think it's a Swainson's hawk, These amazing hawks travel thousands of miles each year to winter in Argentina. Of course when it's winter here, it's summer there, so maybe it's more accurate to say that the Swainson's hawks know how to enjoy the long summer days!

See more at https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Swainsons_Hawk/maps-range

You don't have to go far to have an amazing wildlife safari! It's fun watching how the animals move, interact, and feed.

My Lewis and Clark Expedition

The Challenge. My friend Edith told me about their "Lewis and Clark expedition" and I knew I had to give it a try. The objective: head up Strawberry Creek in Great Basin National Park and see Lewis's Woodpeckers and Clark's Nutcrackers.

Background. From 1804 to 1806 Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were on the Corps of Discovery Expedition, traveling up the Missouri River, crossing the Rocky Mountains, and heading down the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean and then returning. They had months of preparation, including learning more about natural sciences such as botany and ornithology. During the course of the expedition, they found hundreds of new species to science. Just two animal species were named for them: the Lewis's Woodpecker and Clark's Nutcracker. 

The Adventure. I started out sightseeing last night's flash floods along Highway 487. 

Then I turned off Highway 6 & 50 onto the Strawberry Creek road. Passing some campers, I drove along the road, which had a little water damage, but nothing too bad.

I paused at the park boundary to check out the signs.

Then I drove slowly, looking for birds. I didn't see as many as I expected, but I did see a chuckar and her babies.

At the trailhead I took the left trail for the Strawberry Sage loop so that I would be in the trees more. Almost immediately I was bombarded by the bubbling song of house wrens and even managed to spot a couple. They are adorable!

Continuing on, I kept looking and listening for birds.

A couple lazuli buntings caught my eye next. They are such pretty birds!

And then I got my first good view of a Clark's nutcracker. These loud members of the Corvid family are usually seen at higher elevations, so I was delighted to see a bunch of them.

I even saw a couple sitting still, preening. 

William Clark noticed this bird in Montana in August 1805. It was later given the name Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana). The bird is about robin-sized with a sharp bill, gray breast, and black and white wings. 

These raucous birds are experts at seed collecting and caching, feeding their youngs seeds cached from the previous year. They also eat insects. 

After the young have fledged (hatched and flown), Clark's nutcrackers form loose family groups, which probably explains why I was seeing a group of them flit about.

By now I was in the burned part of Strawberry Creek, where the wildfire occured ten years ago, in 2016. The drainage is making a good comeback.

It was here that I saw numerous Lewis's woodpeckers, generally a pretty rare bird, but they have been seen for many years now in the Strawberry Creek drainage. And, wow, they are magnificent! Meriwether Lewis saw this bird first in July 1805 in Montana, and it was identified in 1811.

At first glance they look like a dark woodpecker. But if you look closer, you can see hints of red.

And if one is so kind to turn around, you can see a reddish breast.

Some Lewis's woodpeckers aren't as reddish. But they still look a little different than other woodpeckers. They also move differently than other woodpeckers. Instead of pecking at trees to get insects under the bark, they'll glean insects on the bark or burned areas.

And they also take off from branches to catch insects mid-flight, like flycatchers. It's so fun to watch them! 

While I was watching, I saw one with something strange in its bill. It sort of looked like fish eggs, but this isn't the right season. So what is this? Edit: Probably raspberries!

Whatever it is, it was being delivered to chicks! I couldn't believe my luck to find a high hole in a tree with a little head poking out.

Then a parent swooped in to deliver a meal.

And flew off so quickly! The chick has its mouth closed--for a moment.

It soon started squawking again, "Feed me, feed me!"

While I was watching the birds, I run my Merlin app. And at one point, I was hearing both birds at the same time. I had to take a screenshot. 

Ready to take the Lewis and Clark Expedition challenge? I'm not sure how long both birds will be around Strawberry Creek, but right now they're pretty easy to find on the Strawberry Sage loop trail. And I'm sure this can be completed other places as well.

Although I was on the lookout for all birds, having a special target made this birding trip special and had me looking up history when I got home. If you have other fun challenges like this, let me know!

Here's more reading if you want to dig in:

https://montanakids.com/history_and_prehistory/lewis_and_clark/plants_animals.htm

https://www.nps.gov/lecl/basic-facts.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition