I woke up at 5AM to start my next 200-mile drive to Great Basin NP. It was an easy drive and around 10am I arrived at the visitor center.
I took a tour of Lehman Caves. This place, while not as grand as Mammoth Cave Kentucky, has a really cool geology and some really impressive stalactite and stalagmite growths.
Next, I took a drive up Mt Wheeler’s scenic road. This road is about 10 miles of steep cliff driving. There are a few really nice scenic viewpoints. The altitude goes from 7000 feet to about 10000 feet. I found I was struggling to keep my breath as I am not used to this lower level of oxygen. There are a parking lot and trailhead near the top. If one wanted to hike another 3000ft, they could summit this mountain.
I can see some potential for this park in a future visit. I would probably get to the summit and try some of the interior trails on the other side of the mountain. Having felt like I got to see what I wanted to see I decided to move on with my journey. I would drive the next 4 hours into Utah and stop at Salt Lake City.
