Wheeler Peak, Great Basin National Park, Nevada

Distance: 8.6 miles (14.0 km) roundtrip
Elevation: 10,300-13,140 ft (3140-4007 m)
Difficultly: Moderately Strenuous
Season: June-October



At over 13,140 feet, Wheeler Peak in Great Basin National Park is the highest sky island of the Basin and Range province that sprawls from eastern Oregon across Nevada down to Arizona, New Mexico, and west Texas. The cause of this amazing geological phenomenon found no where else on Earth at this scale is still being debated by geologists. What is clear is that North America is stretching apart in this region and the stretching is still spreading west into the Sierras and east into the Rockies.

One of the best places to really experience the great ecological diversity that occurs due to these basins and ranges is at Great Basin National Park in southeastern Nevada. Hundreds of miles from any major city, the skies here are clear and clean, the stars abundant, and the panoramas vast.



Due to the possibility of afternoon thunderstorms, it is best to start this hike early in the morning. So, to put yourself in the best position, you should camp at Wheeler Peak Campground near the end of the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. Then, in the morning drive to the Summit Trailhead Parking lot.

The trail starts in aspens and pines and slowly climbs though this forest, with openings in the forest providing spectacular views of the peaks above. Hike about 1mile until reaching the an intersection. To the left, the trail will take you to the beautiful glacial tarn of Stella Lake in 0.2 miles. It is well worth this little side trip.



After returning to the intersection, follow the trail to the right with the sign for Wheeler Peak. The trail then begins climing more steeply up through some nice alpine meadows full of wildflower, with scattered limber pine and Englemann spruce. As you head onto the boulder field along the ridgeline the trail gets steeper and stepper. You will now follow the ridgeline toward the summit.





At about 3 miles, the trail reaches a relatively flat section at about 12,000 feet which offers amazing views for a hundred miles or more across the Basin and Range province. Below you is the broad Spring Valley and you can see some crop circles from farmers some 7000 feet below.





The summit remains above almost close enough to touch. In this area, there are some rock shelters built up to protect the sometimes strong winds blowing across this section. This is a great place to have lunch.



If clouds are building on the summit or the winds are too strong, this is a great place to turn back. However, if the conditions remain calm and sunny, then the last, steep 1 mile segment will take you to the summit for even more broad views including down the glacial cirque below where the last glacier in the Great Basin remains. Be careful of strong winds at the summit, because there are steep dropoffs on all sides. Once you are done admiring the view, in what feels like one of the most remote places on the continent, return the way you came back to the trailhead.



In a future edition of Hikemasters, I will detail the amazing Bristlecone Pine trail which takes up you through a stand of thousands of year old Bristlecone Pines into that deep glacial cirque you saw below and right up to this last relict glacier that sits in this deeply shaded notch in the mountain.