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.
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.
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:
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.
- 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
