The Parachute Shield formation
Great Basin National Park was established in October 27, 1986, and encompasses 77,180 acres. The park derives its name from the Great Basin, the dry and mountainous region between the Sierra Nevada and the Wasatch Mountains. The park rises from a sea of sagebrush to treeless rocky summits. It is notable for its grove of ancient bristlecone pines, the oldest known nonclonal organisms, and for the Lehman Caves at the base of 13,063-foot Wheeler Peak, as well as Wheeler Glacier. It is an hour drive from Ely to the Park, we visited the Visitor Center and bought tickets on line for the Lehman Caves then followed the scenic drive to the Mather Overlook for a view of Wheeler Peak. The Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive is a paved 12 mile out and back road to an elevation exceeding 10,000 feet, to the face of Wheeler Peak. Due to snow on the road, it was closed after the viewpoint, but we enjoyed magnificent views of Wheeler Peak before descending back to Ely. Click on thumbnail to view image