Episode 4 Itinerary: “Taking a Peak”

Featured Stops

Wheeler Peak and Great Basin National Park
Astronomy Amphitheater at Great Basin National Park
Bristlecone General Store and Stargazer Inn
Egan Range Mountain Bike Trails

Wheeler Peak and Great Basin National Park

Distance from Las Vegas: 310 miles

Rising 13,063 feet above Nevada’s sun-swept, sage-stepped eastern edge, Wheeler Peak is the crown jewel of Great Basin National Park, an unexpectedly diverse landscape where desert basins rise into alpine peaks and marble caves hide beneath ancient mountains.

It’s also where Alex met up with longtime climbing partner Cedar Wright to tackle the park’s highest summit. Their plan was simple: Hike the Wheeler Peak Summit Trail. The mountain, however, had other ideas. High winds, cold temperatures, and a surprise snowstorm made the climb far more adventurous than expected—all conditions that can pop up any time of year.

The trail runs 8.6 miles round-trip with nearly 3,000 feet of elevation gain. Starting near the end of Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, the trail climbs past alpine lakes, aspen groves, and sweeping ridgetop vistas before reaching Nevada’s second-highest summit.

But Wheeler Peak is just one of many unforgettable hikes here—including from the same trailhead. The Alpine Lakes Loop delivers spectacular high-country scenery without the climb, circling Stella and Teresa Lakes beneath the granite face of Wheeler Peak. The Bristlecone & Glacier Trail winds through groves of ancient bristlecone pines—some nearly 5,000 years old—with views of Nevada’s last remaining glacier.

Elsewhere in the park, gentler trails follow creeks through shaded forests and even along paved, ADA-accessible interpretive paths. With no entrance fee, several spacious developed campgrounds, and two visitor centers, Great Basin National Park remains remote yet surprisingly reachable.

While You’re Here

• Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive—12 miles of roadway climbing more than 4,000 feet from desert floor to high-mountain terrain, with pullouts revealing sweeping views of the Snake Range and valleys beyond.
• Lehman Caves—A rare marble cave system filled with delicate calcite formations like stalactites, stalagmites, and the famously thin “shield” formations found in only a few caves worldwide. [NOTE: Limited Lehman Caves tours are now being offered while electrical system upgrades continue. Some blackout dates apply, and reservations through recreation.gov are highly recommended.]
• Great Basin Visitor Center—An ideal first stop, home to fact-packed exhibits on the park’s flora and fauna, night sky programs, and rangers armed with info on trails, talks, and more.
• Lehman Caves Visitor Center—Gateway to both Lehman Caves and night sky programs at the Astronomy Amphitheater, and also houses exhibits on the park’s after-dark features, a café, and helpful park rangers. [NOTE: Lehman Caves Visitor Center may have intermittent closures through summer 2026 for the Lehman Caves electrical system upgrades.]

Astronomy Amphitheater at Great Basin National Park

Distance from Las Vegas: 310 Miles

It’s hard to find a bad view in Great Basin National Park, even after the sun goes down. The park is internationally recognized as a Dark Sky Park thanks to its high elevation, dry climate, and near-total absence of light pollution. There’s a reason rangers say, “Half the park is after dark,” and one look up makes it clear why.

During their visit, Alex and Cedar joined scientists and park staff—including Great Basin Observatory astronomer Dr. Katie Jameson, who studies what’s out there from this remote corner of our planet—beneath some of the country’s darkest skies. In a place this quiet and free from interference, researchers can detect faint signals from distant galaxies and far-off cosmic events.

For the rest of us, it means stargazing experiences that are nothing short of stellar. On a clear evening (May through September), the Milky Way arches overhead while planets, complete constellations, and thousands of stars reveal themselves to the naked eye.

Ranger-led astronomy programs help visitors spot celestial highlights through powerful telescopes, while the annual Great Basin Astronomy Festival brings a star-studded cast of scientists, astro enthusiasts, and curious travelers together for several nights under the stars.

While You’re Here

• Nevada Northern Railway—A National Historic Landmark where visitors ride up to a Steptoe Valley sunset and return beneath the stars (Sunset, Stars & Champagne Train), glass of bubbly in hand; or depart at dusk for an included stop at Star Flat, where knowledgeable guides and their telescopes await (Star Train).
• Park to Park in the Dark—The Starry-est Route in America connecting two Gold Tier Dark Sky Parks (Great Basin National Park and Death Valley National Park). Drive by day and spend nights getting starstruck.
• Nevada Stargazing Guide—Our statewide guide to Nevada’s best night-sky destinations, complete with an interactive Dark Sky Finder, stargazing tips, and more.

Bristlecone General Store and Stargazer Inn

Distance from Las Vegas: 295 Miles

At the doorstep of Great Basin National Park sits the delightfully funky town of Baker. During his visit, Alex stopped by the Bristlecone General Store to chat with owner Liz Woolsey, a longtime local who helped turn this unassuming roadside shop into the heart of the community.

Woolsey describes the place as “25 years of ideas all in one store.” Shelves hold everything from road trip essentials and outdoor gear to Baker-made art and an eclectic collection of books curated by her husband, former Great Basin National Park superintendent James Woolsey. Travelers are often thrilled to stumble upon titles they’ve spent years searching for, waiting for them all the way out here in Baker.

Tucked beside the shelves is a cozy book nook where visitors trade tips, swap trail tales, and plan their next adventures. Over time, the store has grown into a creative crossroads in rural Nevada, hosting musicians, traveling artists, and authors passing through—as well as a certain storied orange chair that caught Alex and Cedar’s attention.

Next door, the adjoining Stargazer Inn offers a welcoming basecamp for park explorers. Once the sun drops behind the Snake Range, it’s one of the most charming places to turn in after an evening spent marveling at starry skies.

While You’re Here

• Baker Archaeological Site—Remnants of a Fremont culture village dating back more than 1,000 years, where interpretive signs and excavated pit houses offer a glimpse into the lives of the region’s earliest residents.
• Local Folk Art Walk—A whimsical, self-guided stroll around Baker’s playful outdoor art installations, featuring welded sculptures, repurposed relics, and colorful creations that comprise what locals call the Permanent Wave.
• Great Basin National Heritage Area—A vast cultural landscape straddling the Nevada-Utah border, where historic mining towns, pioneer ranches, scenic byways, and wide-open public lands tell the layered story of life in the heart of the Great Basin.

Egan Range Mountain Bike Trails

Distance from Las Vegas: 250 Miles

When Alex rolled into Ely, he met up with White Pine County Tourism Director and avid cyclist Kyle Horvath to see what all the bike-related buzz is about. Within minutes of leaving downtown, they were pedaling up into the Egan Range, one of the region’s dozens of world-class mountain biking trail systems.

Ely has quietly become one of Nevada’s most exciting mountain biking hubs, with 40 to 50 miles of singletrack directly accessible from downtown. With nearby systems like Ward Mountain Recreation Area, the network expands to more than 100 miles of trails weaving through sagebrush hills, high-desert ridgelines, and pine forests. Here, riders can spin straight from their hotel to nearby trailheads, spend a day on the mountain, then descend back to town for a burger, a beer, or a well-earned nap.

That seamless connection between trails and town is exactly what amazed Alex. For years, he lived out of a van chasing trailheads around the West. But in Ely, he learned the trailheads come to you.

Beyond the singletrack, Ely has grown into a four-season adventure town where culture, history, and recreation collide. Downtown streets double as an open-air gallery thanks to the Ely Mural Walking Tour, while proximity to ghost towns, fishing, and state parks—including Cave Lake State Park and Ward Charcoal Ovens State Park—offer more ways to explore any time of year.

While You’re Here

• Success Loop Scenic Drive—A classic backcountry route through the spectacular Schell Creek Range, harboring historic mining remnants, wildlife, panoramic vistas, and aspens etched with arborglyphs: century-old carvings left by Basque sheepherders. [Please recreate responsibly, enjoy with your eyes only, and refrain from adding new ones.]
• Ely Mural Walking Tour & Renaissance Village—A self-guided stroll through downtown past massive murals celebrating White Pine County’s rich history, culminating at a cluster of restored historic homes offering a snapshot of the many cultures that built this region.