Illustration
Illustration
Nevada
Best time to visit Great BasinWhen to catch summer wildflowers on Wheeler Peak and fall color
Great Basin through the year: summer wildflowers on wheeler peak (local timing: throughout the summer months) and fall foliage (local timing: starting around the second or third week of September). Each has its own page with spots, sources and the latest reports.
Checked against 2 official sources · How we check →
About Great Basin
- What it is
- A national park in Nevada
- A little history
- The same act abolished Lehman Caves National Monument and folded its lands into the new park.
- What you'll see
- Summer wildflowers on Wheeler Peak · Jun–Aug (a season)Fall foliage · Sep (a season)
- Before you go
Year-round(3 tips)
- Roads: No vehicles over 24 feet beyond Upper Lehman Creek Campground on Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive.
- Camping: All Great Basin campgrounds need reservations, booked from 1 day to 6 months ahead.
- What to bring: Plenty of water whatever the distance, and wear layers.
Fall foliage · Sep(1 tip)
- Roads: The Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive generally closes by November 1, after the first heavy snowfall; the Lehman Caves Visitor Center stays open all year.
RIGHT NOW · OCT 3
- Latest reportNo dated report this season; the posters below show each usual window.
- This weekend (NWS)Sat partly sunny, 85°F · Sun sunny, 86°F
- Park alerts1 current NPS alert: No Potable Water in Park Campgrounds
When are you going?
Fall at Great Basin
Winter at Great Basin
Good in winter
- Winter: snowshoeing the Lehman Creek Trail
Nearby in winter
Spring at Great Basin
Good in spring
- Arrowleaf balsamroot on the lower trails (late May)
Nearby in spring
Summer at Great Basin
Illustration
Month by month
Usual windows from the official sources, not a forecast
| Month | What to see | |
|---|---|---|
| January–February | ||
| May | ||
| June–August | ||
| September | ||
| December | ||
Where to go at Great Basin
Spots, visitor points and places nearby
- Pin color, each place's season now or next:
- Summer
Visitor points on this map: Pole Canyon Trailhead (5.9 mi) · Mountain View Nature Trail Trailhead (6 mi)
Places on this map (1)
Best spots
Where each event's source says to go
Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive
Best spot
Often lined with wildflowers all summer; no vehicles over 24 feet beyond Upper Lehman Creek Campground
Good for: Summer wildflowers on Wheeler Peak · Fall foliageNational Park Service ↗
Baker Creek Trailhead
Best spot
Start of the Baker Creek Loop, which the park says gives some of the finest variety of wildflowers
Good for: Summer wildflowers on Wheeler PeakNational Park Service ↗
Baker Creek Loop
Best spot
3.4 miles round trip past a grove of unusually tall aspens
Good for: Fall foliageNational Park Service ↗
Snake Creek
Best spot
Road lined with golden cottonwoods; aspens on the Shoshone Trail
Good for: Fall foliageNational Park Service ↗
Strawberry Creek
Best spot
Easy Sage Steppe Loop and Upper Strawberry Trail aspens
Good for: Fall foliageNational Park Service ↗
Next 7 days at Great Basin
Forecast: National Weather Service
Last checked Fri, Oct 2: our daily Weather Service update hasn't come through since. Check weather.gov before you go.
Around Great Basin
In season first, then nearest; straight-line miles
Next season here: Summer wildflowers on Wheeler Peak, throughout the summer months.
Towns nearby
Straight-line miles from Great Basin
- Cedar City, UT · 107 miFirst frost ~Oct 13
- St. George, UT · 137 miFirst frost ~Nov 10
- Tooele, UT · 142 miFirst frost ~Oct 16
First frost: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at each town's nearest station.
Great Basin in pictures
Illustrative photos, not current conditions
Questions people ask
When does the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive in Great Basin close?
Generally by November 1, after the season's first heavy snowfall. Snake Creek, Strawberry Creek and Baker Creek roads also close with snow; the Lehman Caves Visitor Center stays open all year.Source: National Park Service, Visiting Great Basin in fall ↗ (opens in a new tab)
When was Great Basin National Park established?
By an act of Congress on October 27, 1986.Source: National Park Service, Management - Great Basin National Park ↗ (opens in a new tab)
What happened to Lehman Caves when Great Basin was established?
The same act abolished Lehman Caves National Monument and folded its lands into the new park.Source: National Park Service, Management - Great Basin National Park ↗ (opens in a new tab)
What should I bring hiking in Great Basin?
Plenty of water whatever the distance, and wear layers.Source: National Park Service, Visiting Great Basin in fall ↗ (opens in a new tab)
How we know
The official pages behind every date on this page
- Oct 3Park ServiceWildflower ViewingSource (opens National Park Service, Wildflower Viewing in a new tab)
- Sep 27Park ServiceFall colors typically start developing around the second or third week of SeptemberSource (opens National Park Service, Great Basin operating hours and seasons in a new tab)
- National Park Service sources: no claim to original U.S. Government works.