Summary:
A beautiful hike through the mountains of the Snake Range, climbing to a close-up view of the Wheeler Peak glacier.

Keep left at the junction with the Summit Trail. A little further on, ignore the Wheeler Peak junction on the right. You will shortly reach beautiful Stella Lake, surrounded by forest and mountain peaks, about 1 mile from the trailhead and a climb of around 600 ft.

The trail passes the lake to the left, and becomes more uneven as it descends to Teresa Lake, another beautiful spot. A little further on, the trail forks once more. The left fork continues the Alpine Lakes loop back to the trailhead, but first take the right fork, a 1.6-mile spur to see bristlecone pine and the Wheeler Peak glacier.

This trail follows a ridge and climbs a slope onto the moraine left by the retreating glacier. It is rocky and there may still be snow on the trail in June, making footing more difficult in places. In a little under 1 mile, you reach the bristlecone pine – a short loop trail gives you close-up views of these ancient specimens, one of which has been dated back to 1230 BC.

Continue the climb up the moraine. Beyond a signed viewpoint of the rock glacier, the rocky trail descends slightly then levels, and continues through ankle-deep snow (in June) to a magnificent close-up vista of Wheeler Peak, the glacier, and surrounding mountains. You can climb a further 200 ft or so to get closer to the glacier, but we chose to just sit and enjoy the solitude and spectacle.

When you are ready to leave, retrace the 1.6 miles to re-join the loop trail and continue on back to the trailhead.

We hiked this trail in early June. The access road was open and it was perfect hiking weather – sunny, blue skies, but not too hot due to the elevation. The snow on the mountains and on the ground in places certainly added to the beauty of the scenery. It was also noticeably tranquil, and we saw only a handful of other hikers. A trail this good would surely be much busier in other National Parks, and no doubt reflects the fact that Great Basin is a pretty long way from anywhere.

Directions: From Ely – US 50 east for 56 miles, south on route 487 for 5 miles to Baker, then Route 488 west into the Park. From Las Vegas – I-15 north for 21 miles, then 234 miles north on US 93 to join US 50, 30 miles west of the 487.

Trailhead: From the Park entrance, follow the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive for 12 miles to the Bristlecone parking area, where the trailhead is clearly signed.

Length: 6 miles / 9.6 km

Trail Type: Loop

Elevation Change: 1,050 ft / 320 m

Duration: 4 hours

Trail Condition: Well defined, rocky in places. Snow remains on parts of the trail into June.

Features: Apline meadows and lakes, mountain and glacier views.

Climate: Warm temperatures and thunderstorms in summer. Deep snow in winter and spring (late October to May), when road access to the trail is closed.

Accommodation: Camping in the National Park. Limited lodging 5 miles east of the Park entrance in Baker and on Route 50 at the Utah border. Plenty of motels in Ely.

Trail Notes: High altitude trail – 10,000-11,000 ft. Access road to the trailhead is closed by snow in winter, usually from early November, and may not reopen until June.

Summary:
A gently climb rewards you with views of Rainbow Canyon, followed by a scramble beneath imposing cliffs through a side canyon.

Retrace your steps along the spur to continue along the loop back down towards the parking area. Shortly before the end of the loop you reach some steps and a trail junction. Take the track to the right that leads through Rattlesnake Canyon (the left returns to the car park). After a short time, the trail through this pretty canyon becomes undefined. You have to continue by scrambling and climbing over boulders, taking time to stop to admire the lovely cliff views. 0.5 mile into the canyon, you reach a dead-end at a 30-ft cliff. Retrace your steps to the junction and continue ahead to return the car park.

Kershaw-Ryan is a small State Park, but it does offer further hiking opportunities. A dry wash marks the route to take if you wish to reach the top of Ely Mountain (the highest point in the Park). Although there is no defined trail as of June 2000, a ranger has advised us that one is being developed.

Directions: Route 317 south from Caliente. From Las Vegas – I-15 north for 21 miles, then 153 miles north on US 93 to the intersection with the 317.

Trailhead: Parking area at the end of the State Park road.

Length: 2.5 miles / 4.0 km

Trail Type: Loop

Elevation Change: N/A

Duration: 1.5 hours

Trail Condition: Loop is well defined. Trail ends with a rocky, out and back spur through a canyon – this section undefined (as at June 2000) and involves some scrambling.

Features: Canyon views, cliffs.

Climate: High temperatures and thunderstorms in summer, pleasant in spring and fall.

Accommodation: Three motels and two RV parks in Caliente. As of June 2000, no camping inside the State Park.

Trail Notes: Risk of flash flooding in narrow canyons – the Park was closed in 1984 after a summer flash flood destroyed facilities and roads.

Summary:
A desert hike through a remote gorge past cliffs and fins, with a spur to a viewpoint above eroded side canyons.

From the picnic area, the trail leads for 0.5 through sagebrush to the ‘caves’ – narrow canyons between huge fins that are ideal for exploring. The trail continues through the gorge, reaching a junction after a short distance. The 1-mile spur to the right takes you through a side canyon with high rock walls to steps that lead up to Miller Point, an overlook of the dramatic surrounding canyons (Miller Point is also accessible by road).

Retrace your steps to rejoin the loop trail and continue through the upper gorge. This remote place is inaccessible by road and therefore quiet and peaceful. There are close up views of the buff-colored cliffs and formations as you proceed through the sagebrush desert. Animal tracks – including snakes and coyote – can be spotted along the way.

Although level, the desert trail is sandy and can be hard going, particularly in the heat. In several places you follow dried washes rather than a defined trail, but the way is marked. Veering left to loop out of the upper gorge, the trail eventually leads back to the campground, just a short distance from your starting point at the picnic area.

Directions: From Las Vegas, take I-15 north for 21 miles, then 167 miles north on US 93. Turn left off the 93 into the State Park.

Trailhead: Proceed past the entrance station to where the road forks. Take the left fork, ignore the left turning to the campground, and continue on to the picnic area.

Length: 6 miles / 9.6 km

Trail Type: Loop

Elevation Change: Negligible

Duration: 4 hours

Trail Condition: Mostly well defined, sandy trail. Some sections follow marked desert washes.

Features: Desert canyon, formations.

Climate: Extremely hot in summer, cold in winter.

Accommodation: Camping in the State Park. Lodging available in Caliente, 15 miles to the south, and Pioche, 10 miles to the north.

Trail Notes: There is no shade along the trail – avoid hiking at mid-day in summer.