Four Reasons to Visit Nevada’s Greatest Gem (No, Not Vegas)
And that’s how I landed on visiting my 44th national park. What I did not plan for is loving northern Nevada as much as I did. Here are four big reasons why this small town…
Summit of Wheeler Peak, the highest mountain in Nevada’s Great Basin National Park, June 25, 2024.
When one of my close friends decided to get married in beautiful Breckenridge, I immediately knew I’d extend my trip. Flying to that part of the U.S. isn’t as easy as driving to the mountains in the Northeast, so I wanted to take full advantage of my time out west. After last summer’s excursion to Isle Royale National Park off the coast of Michigan and Virgin Islands National Park a few months prior, the more remote a park is, the more I seem to enjoy it.
I mapped out the closest new-to-me park from Denver and there was only one national park that was remotely in driving distance. To be fair, driving distance is relative, but to me, a ten-hour drive, partly along America’s loneliest highway, sounded like the perfect plan.
And that’s how I landed on visiting my 44th national park: Great Basin National Park in Baker, Nevada. What I did not plan for is loving northern Nevada as much as I did. Here are four big reasons this small town made its way to the top of my favorites list:
Stella Lake from the Stella Lake trail heading to Wheeler Peak.
Wow, does this park genuinely have it all! From the world’s oldest living organisms to the state’s (technically) highest peak and only glacier, Great Basin National Park should be on everyone’s list of places to explore.
Hike Wheeler Peak
Y’all know I love a good hike, and after hiking a couple 14ers in Colorado, I was ready to take on Nevada’s second highest peak. Nevada’s highest peak, Boundary Peak, is only about 70 feet higher and partially in another state, but one minute at Wheeler Peak’s summit will make you feel like you’re on top of the world.
At 13, 063 feet, this peak towers over Great Basin National Park. A little over 8 miles and 3,000 feet of climbing, this trail was very easy to follow. I brought microspikes and trekking poles, but did not need to use them.
Explore the Oldest Bristlecone Pines in the World
Bristlecone Pine Glacier Trail
Great Basin bristlecones are over 5,000 years old. There’s a short trail from the Wheeler Peak campground that takes you through an informational path of the bristlecone pines. Definitely worth a detour if you’re already at the campground.
Dip Your Toes in an Alpine Lake
There are a handful of alpine lakes in Great Basin National Park. The most popular ones are found along the Alpine Lakes Loop leaving from the Wheeler Peak campground. I took the Stella Lake trail up Wheeler Peak, so I had the joy of staring at Stella Lake for awhile as I made my way to the summit. Once atop Wheeler Peak, I had a birds-eye-view of three alpine lakes. Three! I felt great getting off the mountain, so I added in the Alpine Lakes Loop and my feet were glad I did. Stella Lake is the largest of the three, but my favorite was Teresa Lake. Turquoise blue waters, a view of Wheeler Peak, I couldn’t ask for a better ending to the day’s hike. I woke up early the next morning for another dip and had the lake all to myself for a couple hours.
Gaze at Nevada’s Only Glacier (while it’s still there!)
If you’re on the Bristlecone Pines Trail, you can continue hiking for a little under a mile to see Nevada’s last remaining glacier. I know this park is remote, but I am truly shocked it’s one of the least visited. There is so much history packed into this park that everyone can find something to take away from a trip here.
Tips: Great Basin National Park is at a higher altitude than most visitors live at. Remember to hydrate, pack ibuprofen, and take it easy as you adjust. If you’re sensitive to the sun, higher altitudes bring you closer to the sun, so pack the sunscreen!
Best time of year to visit: There’s something to see in every season, but if you’re outdoorsy, winter conditions close the main (and only) road, Wheeler Peak Scenic Road, into Great Basin National Park. I visited in mid-June when snow had mostly melted. It’s not uncommon for snow to be present until the end of June depending on how heavy winter was that year.
Cost: Great Basin National Park is currently free of charge to explore.
Where to stay: The park offers campgrounds, but I highly recommend Stargazer Inn.
2. Stargazer Inn and Bristlecone General Store
Baker is a small town with a big heart, largely thanks to the owners of the Stargazer Inn. As I’m getting older, I find I gravitate toward a small town feel (if that was not evident by my desire to find the most remote parks and explore them). I have visited plenty of America’s biggest cities, and nothing attracts me more than a small town where locals are welcoming, the food is delicious, and the views are endless.
This trip I chose not to camp to minimize my packing list, so I was looking into stays around each of my destinations. I came across Stargazer Inn, a quaint inn right in the heart of Baker, Nevada mere minutes from Great Basin National Park. I gave Liz a call and sure enough she had a room for me to stay. What she also had, was a connection to Western Mass since she and her husband actually lived here for several years. This little pocket of Nevada is over 2,500 miles from me and yet it still felt like home— thanks to Liz.
Liz and James are the owners of Stargazer Inn and they also host monthly events that cultivate a community in Baker with meet-ups for book clubs, full moon hikes, and more!
I love camping, but my room at the Stargazer Inn put my mind at ease as a solo female traveler, kept my packing list minimal thanks to so many amenities (laundry room, small kitchenette with a fridge, microwave, and coffee!), and saved on travel time to the park. The Stargazer Inn has 10 rooms to stay in, and also offers RV and van hook-up sites.
Address: 115 S. Baker Ave. Baker, NV 89311
Contact: Email Liz at stay@stargazernevada.com or give her a call at 775-234-7323.
Tips: The Stargazer Inn also features a general store, the Bristlecone General Store for any supplies you might run low or run out of. Or maybe if you underestimate the Sierras sunshine like I did, there’s plenty of aloe vera to purchase there.
3. Female-Owned Food Businesses
With most of my trips incorporating long hikes, part of my trip always includes finding food gems. And in a town with only one street and a population that’s smaller than my 7th grade first period class, I was hesitant about where I’d find a post-hike meal. I stocked up on food prior to arriving, but was surprised by the two finds I came across:
Sugar, Salt, and Malt Restaurant (70 Baker Ave. Baker, NV 89311)
After my hike up Wheeler Peak, I was ready to eat. I walked into Sugar, Salt, and Malt and when I saw the white sauce pizza on the menu, I was sold.
This pizza included chicken Italian sausage, roasted garlic, ricotta cheese atop artichoke heart and spinach cream sauce with a balsamic reduction. In what feels like the middle of nowhere Nevada, this was quite the sight. It gets better. One of the owners is a trained pastry chef and creates homemade ice cream cookie sandwiches. Naturally I had to try it. There’s the classic chocolate chip cookie with vanilla ice cream, and then there’s the chocolate cookie with strawberry ice cream. This spot was so nice I had to visit twice!
Sandra’s Mexican Food Truck (45 Pioche St. Baker, NV 89311)
My last day in Baker, I contemplated a third visit to Sugar, Salt, and Malt, but they are closed on Wednesdays. In such a small town, there are not a plethora of options, but the ones that are there are delicious. I made my way to try Sandra’s Mexican Food, and yet again, my heart and stomach were full. Sandra cooks delicious burritos, tacos, tacos – you name it. She operates out of a food truck and has churros. Need I say more?
Sandra’s portions are very hearty, I wish I spent more time in Baker to eat there again.
Tips: Check hours prior to planning a visit. For example, Sugar, Salt, and Malt are closed Wednesdays and Thursdays. Additionally, be mindful that with Baker being a very remote town, ingredients and shipments are not as easily accessible, or affordable. Prices at both establishments above are very reasonably priced given the quality of the food and the distance supplies need to travel.
4. The Charming Creativity of Baker, Nevada
Driving through Baker (the whole two-minute drive on its only street) immediately reminded me of my drive through Marfa, Texas. Marfa, before its widespread fame as a minimalist art stop, felt like a middle-of-nowhere art museum. From a tiny Target store to a Prada store (with merchandise inside), Marfa’s exhibits were a stop on my road trip out to Big Bend National Park back in 2016.
While it feels like the middle of nowhere northern Nevada, Baker embraces that. Baker is “where all roads lead” and I loved seeing that on a colorful sign. Another quirky spot is across from Sandra’s Mexican Food. A rundown wooden shack that genuinely looks like it has been around since pioneering days would not catch the attention of most people, but with the Sierra Nevada mountain range as a backdrop, I gave it another glance. There’s a small white plaque on the structure that made me laugh:
Museum of the Future
Coming Soon
Marfa’s increasing tourism has made its way onto many people’s West Texas bucket lists, but Baker feels like how Marfa felt years ago — charming and quirky and undiscovered.
Have you heard of Great Basin National Park? Would you add northern Nevada to your bucket list?
Winter is The Best Time of Year to Visit White Sands National Park
Given that I only had a weekend, I opted for the swiftest option.
Here are my tips for exploring one of America’s newest national parks, White Sands National Park:
1. Winter is hands down…
About five years ago, I hiked around Guadalupe Mountains National Park—making a pitstop at Carlsbad Caverns National Park since it was in the vicinity. I honestly agreed to the detour because of its national park designation. After walking through caverns before, I wasn’t sure how Carlsbad would be any different. I was clearly wrong after the cave tour led by a ranger who even sang in the dark depths of a cave tunnel to portray the incredible acoustics found down in the depths of those caverns.
Also in southern New Mexico, nearby Carlsbad Caverns, is White Sands National Park. At the time it was a designated national monument. As someone who isn’t the biggest fan of sand, I didn’t make any effort with the friends I was traveling with to justify another detour before we headed back to Austin, Texas.
Naturally when White Sands received the designation of national park in 2019, I was peeved I didn’t explore it when I had the chance. When would I make a trip down to southern New Mexico again for this park?
Fast forward to last summer when I was on the search for a winter marathon. The only cold marathon I could find in January? The inaugural Las Cruces marathon. Las Cruces, New Mexico happens to be about a forty-minute drive from White Sands National Park.
I didn’t need any convincing. I was sold.
After a little planning and a few months of training, I ran my best marathon yet, and enjoyed a visit to my 41st national park in great company.
I flew into El Paso’s international airport as it’s only an hour from Las Cruces, New Mexico. If I had more time, I would have flown to another airport in New Mexico and roadtripped around the state. Given that I only had a weekend, I opted for the swiftest option.
Here are my tips for your visit to one of America’s newest national parks, White Sands National Park:
1. Winter is hands down the best time of year to visit.
It’s the off-season. Lines were non-existent and temperatures were mild. I despise extremely warm temperatures, so visiting this park right after New Year’s made me enjoy it so much more than I would have in the summer when I’m usually traveling.
2. Check sunset times before planning the next day’s visit.
Living in New England, the sun sets rather early in the winters. I was pleasantly surprised when I checked my weather app and noticed how “late” sunset was at White Sands for my visit.
Knowing what time the sun sets helped me adjust the day’s schedule to arrive to the park earlier than I was originally planning to in order to capture all of sunset.
3. Give yourself extra travel time to arrive.
Whether it’s the immigration stop, obtaining a National Parks Pass, or adding a new magnet to your collection at the Visitor Center – you may want to come well in advance of sunset to savor the sun before it falls behind the ridgeline.
The first evening I visited, I naively thought I could just park right away and catch sunset minutes before. Little did I realize I would need time to find parking, walk across the sand a bit, and find a good spot. By the time I did that, the sun had already set past the mountain range in the distance.
I lucked out when I turned around and saw a full moon ascending above the other mountain range as a pastel palette colored the sky.
4. Park at Sunset Stroll and wander.
There truly is no wrong away to go about exploring the sand dunes at White Sands. There are a few longer hikes out onto the sand, but it can easily be a park you visit for a few hours. If I return, I’d love to backcountry camp overnight on the sand to see the sunrise.
On both of my visits, I parked near the Sunset Stroll sign, which has ample parking. This is also the designated spot for a ranger-led walk. It’s a few miles into the park.
The park itself has less than ten miles of road.
I walked over a sand wall that honestly looks like snow on a New England street after the plows went through, and traversed until the only light that guided me came from the moon.
5. If you have time for a longer trek, try out the Alkali Flats trail.
Alkali Flats is White Sands’ longest hike. It’s a five-mile loop, and despite its “flat” name, walking up sand dunes is not your daily sidewalk dog walk. Give yourself plenty of time to enjoy this loop.
6. Purchase an America the Beautiful Pass.
Visiting more off-the-beaten-path parks like White Sands isn’t the most affordable. A way to save (if you plan on visiting a handful of parks a year) is to purchase an annual parks pass.
Every year, I purchase the America the Beautiful pass. For $80, I can access any U.S. National Park for a year from the purchase month for free. Obviously it is not technically free, but a week’s visit to White Sands is $25. This entrance fee is valid for seven consecutive days from the day of purchase. Purchasing the annual pass also encourages me to fulfill my yearly goal of visiting two new national parks. I already paid for the pass, so it only makes sense to use at least $80 worth, right?
A handful of parks are free to enter, while others are $30. Check out this list for days that many fee-required national parks are free for a day.
Tip for New England hikers
The America the Beautiful pass also grants you free parking at national forests. For busy parking lots that charge for parking in the White Mountains National Forest, this means free parking!
If you enjoyed learning about this national park, then you’ll love exploring these parks:
Visit America's Newest National Park: The New River Gorge, WV
3 Colorado National Parks To Visit (That Aren’t Rocky Mountain!)
Experience the Best of Hawaii’s Haleakalā National Park
Two Must-Do Experiences in Florida (No, Not Disney)