Complete Guide to Wheeler Peak Campground in Great Basin National Park

Complete Guide to Wheeler Peak Campground in Great Basin National Park in Nevada. Check out what to expect when camping along Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive.

Here are my top finds for Great Basin & Ely Nevada (Closest sizable city):
🏨Hotels: La Quinta Inn & Suites Ely, Hidden Canyon Retreat
📍Tours: 2- Day Private Adventure of Great Basin NP, Lehman Cave Tours , Ride the Star Train!, Great Basin National Park Self-Guided Audio Tour

Wheeler Peak Campground

Wheeler Campground is on the end of the 12-mile Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. It is easily my favorite campground in Great Basin National Park and one of my favorites in the entire National Park System!

Wheeler Peak Campground is also the highest elevation campground in the National Park System at nearly 10,000 feet. This makes for the perfect place to spend time becoming acclimated to the elevation so you can reduce the effects of elevation/altitude sickness from hiking many of iconic trails, including the Bristlecone Trail, Alpine Lakes Loop Trail, and the Wheeler Peak Trail where the high point at the summit of Wheeler Peak is a staggering 13,063 ft in elevation!

Make sure to take time and set up in one of the open green meadows at the campground to watch one of its epic sunsets followed by the most mesmerizing night sky I have ever seen! You can see planets, satellites, and even the Milky Way. This alone is worth the price of admission.

The campground also has plenty of shade, including the dense forest of Engleman Spruce and wildlife like mule deer and turkey. Of course, the perfect time to come is in fall when the Aspen leaves turn bright yellow and shimmer in the wind.

Wheeler Peak Campground Map

Wheeler Peak Campground Fees

Make sure to check with the park for the most updated camping fees.

Campground Reservations

Are Campground Reservations Available? Yes, from reservation from late June through Labor Day weekend
Phone Number? 1-877-444-6777
Online? Recreation.gov

Bulletin Board and Interpretative panels at Wheeler Peak Campground Great Basin National Park

Wheeler Peak Campground Information

The paved road is fantastic and easy to drive through the campground. Each site has a fire ring, picnic table, and lots of tree cover for shade.

Season: Depending on the weather, the campground is 9500 feet and will close in winter after the first snow event.
Number of Sites: 37
Checkout time: 12 pm (noon)
Campground Address:
Wheeler Peak Campground
Baker, NV 89311
Latitude/Longitude:
39° 0' 39.2760" N
114° 18' 15.8400" W
Elevation: 9500 Feet
Accessible Sites: There are accessible sites within the campground. The main road of this campground has paved parking areas for cars and campers. The campsites are gravel and dirt with some steep surfaces.
Location in the park: Located at the end of the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive

fall leaves at Wheeler Peak Campground Great Basin National Park — fall leaves at Wheeler Peak Campground

How to get to Campground

From the east or west: From U.S. Highway 6 & 50, turn south on Nevada State Highway 487 and travel 5 miles to Baker, NV. In Baker turn west on Highway 488 and travel 5 miles to the park.

From the south (Utah): Travel north on Utah State Highway 21 through Milford, UT and Garrison, UT, which will become Nevada State Highway 487 as you cross the border. Turn west on Highway 488 in Baker and travel 5 miles to the park.

From the south (Nevada): Travel north on U.S. Highway 93 (Great Basin Highway). At the junction of U.S. Highway 6 & 50 drive east to Nevada State Highway 487 and turn south. Travel 5 miles to Baker, NV. In Baker turn west on Highway 488 and travel 5 miles to the park.

Campsite 2 Wheeler Peak Campground Great Basin National Park — Campsite 2 Wheeler Peak Campground

Campground Amenities

Potable Water? No
Bear Box in site/area? No
Flush Toilet Restrooms? No, Lower Lehman Creek Campground only has vault toilets/pit toilets
Laundry: No
Showers: No
Payphone: No
Is Wi-Fi available? No
Is Cellular Service Available? No
Is there a camp host available on-site? Yes, depending on the season
Is firewood available for purchase? No, Fires may only be built in provided metal fire rings. Fires must be extinguished when not attended. Only dead wood on the ground may be collected as fuel for campfires within the park. Standing trees or shrubs, alive or dead, and trees/shrubs that are still attached to the ground may not be collected. Chainsaw use is prohibited without a permit. Collection of Bristlecone Pine wood and any wood above 10,000 feet is not allowed.
Amphitheater: Yes, Seasonal
Are fire pits/campfire rings available at each site? Yes
Are Picnic Tables available at each site? Yes

Campsite 3 Wheeler Peak Campground Great Basin National Park — Campsite 3 Wheeler Peak Campground

RV Camping at Wheeler Peak Campground

Neither towing nor towed vehicles exceeding 24 feet in length are accommodated along the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive or at Wheeler Peak Campground.

RV Hookups Available: No
RV Length: Up to 24 feet
Generators: Generators may only be used between 8 am and 8 pm.
Dump Station: There is a dump station near the visitor center.

Campsite 4 Wheeler Peak Campground Great Basin National Park — Campsite 4 Wheeler Peak Campground

Campground Regulations

The maximum number of people in a campsite: No more than two vehicles, three tents, one RV, or eight people allowed per campsite
The number of cars per campsite: No more than two vehicles, three tents, one RV, or eight people allowed per campsite
Checkout time: 11 am
Quiet Hours: 8 pm to 8 am
Stay Limits: Maximum continuous stay at any campsite is 14 days.
Pets Allowed: Pets must be secured in a vehicle or on a leash of no more than six feet at all times. They must be attended at all times. Pets are not allowed on any trails, or the backcountry, within Great Basin National Park. They may be walked on paved surfaces or any roads legally drivable by vehicle. Please clean up after your pets.

Tents must be placed within 30 feet of the campsite's picnic table and/or fire ring.

Don't Forget to Pack

Insect repellent is always a great idea outdoors, especially around any body of water.

We use Permethrin Spray on our clothes before our park trips. Please read my article on preventing biting insects while enjoying the outdoors.

Sunscreen - I buy environmentally friendly sunscreen whenever possible because you inevitably pull it out at the beach.
Bring your water bottleand plenty of water with you. Plastic water bottles are not sold in the park.
Sunglasses - I always bring sunglasses with me. I personally love Goodr sunglasses because they are lightweight, durable, and have awesome National Park Designs from several National Parks like Joshua Tree, Yellowstone, Hawaii Volcanoes, Acadia, Denali, and more!

Click here to get your National Parks Edition of Goodr Sunglasses!

Binoculars/Spotting Scope - These will help spot birds and wildlife and make them easier to identify. We tend to see waterfowl in the distance, and they are always just a bit too far to identify them without binoculars.

Great Basin National Park Guided Tours & Activities

Great Basin National Park Self-Guided Audio Tour
⭐️ Rating: 4.7 out of 5 Stars | ⏳ Tour Length: 5-7 Hours | 🚗🎧 Check Rates and Availability

Powered by Shaka Guide, this GPS-triggered audio tour is the ideal companion for independent visitors exploring one of America's least-visited and most underrated national parks. Narration fires automatically as you reach each stop, covering Lehman Caves, Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, the Bristlecone Pine Trail, the Baker Archaeological Site, the Alpine Lakes Loop, and more across 14 stops. Priced per group for up to 15 passengers and works fully offline once downloaded, which matters here since cell service inside the park is limited.

Great Basin National Park: 2-Day Private Adventure
⭐️ Rating: 4.9 out of 5 Stars (38 TripAdvisor reviews)| ⏳ Tour Length: 2 days | 🏔️🦇 Check Rates and Availability

The most thorough Great Basin experience available through Viator, this fully private two-day tour from BeUTAHful Tours departs from Salt Lake City and covers the park's crown jewels across two full days. Day one puts you on the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive with time for hiking and dark sky viewing at one of the most certified dark sky parks in the country. Day two goes underground with a guided visit to Lehman Caves, followed by the Baker Archaeological Site, one of the best-preserved ancient Fremont culture sites in the Great Basin. Pickup available throughout the Salt Lake City area.

Click here to find more tours and activities in Nevada.

Campsite 5 Wheeler Peak Campground Great Basin National Park — Campsite 5 Wheeler Peak Campground

Where to stay when visiting Great Basin National Park

There are no National Park Lodges in Great Basin NP. There is lodging nearby in Baker, Nevada. The majority of lodging for Great Basin NP can be found in Ely, Nevada about an hour from the park.

⭐️ 4.9 of 5 Stars - Hidden Canyon Retreat - Click here for Rates and Availability.

The premier place to stay near Great Basin National Park, a one-of-a-kind retreat tucked 6.5 miles down a dramatic desert canyon just 30 minutes from the park entrance, rated Exceptional by nearly every guest who stays here!

The 11 apartment-style rooms and suites feature full kitchenettes stocked with cookware, large sitting areas, satellite TVs, private patios, air conditioning, and complimentary bikes for exploring the canyon. After dark, the property turns off all exterior lights at 9:30 PM so guests can experience some of the darkest and most jaw-dropping stargazing skies in the American West. Wild turkey, mule deer, golden eagles, and cutthroat trout call the canyon home year-round, and two orchards dating to the 1850s shade the property. A seasonal outdoor pool, hot tub, game room with ping pong and foosball, BBQ grills, picnic area, on-site minimart, and complimentary welcome drink round out the experience. Note that cell service and WiFi are very limited, making this the perfect place to truly unplug. Open year-round!

⭐️ 4.3 of 5 Stars - La Quinta Inn and Suites, Ely - Click here for Rates and Availability.

The cleanest, most comfortable full-service hotel in Ely and a refreshing smoke-free haven in a state full of casino smoke, sitting just 70 miles from Great Basin National Park on the Loneliest Road in America!

Start each morning with a free hot Bright Side Breakfast featuring fresh waffles, eggs, sausage, fruit, and more, and wind down each evening at the nightly free manager's reception in the lobby next to a cozy indoor fireplace. All 73 rooms and suites feature microwaves, mini-fridges, pillowtop beds, flat-screen TVs with premium channels, and free WiFi, with mountain views from select rooms. Additional amenities include a heated indoor pool, hot tub, fitness center, 24-hour business center, coin laundry, free parking, elevator, and ADA accessible rooms. Pet friendly with no pet fee, open year-round!

Click on this link or the map below to see additional hotels and vacation rentals near the Great Basin.

https://www.stay22.com/embed/6ad384d4dd2d6b34acd2c171

Great Basin National Park Entrance Fee

Park entrance fees are separate from camping and lodging fees.

Great Basin National Park does not charge an entrance fee!

Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.

$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.

National Park Pass highlighting Collared lizard at Wupatki National Monument

Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.

National Park Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the free entrance days the National Park Service offers for US citizens and residents.