Great Basin National Park is a National Park in Nevada. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 6 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Great Basin
We matched 6 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Great Basin. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Waterfalls (1)
Natural Arches (2)
Mountain Peaks (1)
Dark Sky Places (1)
Wilderness Areas (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Great Basin the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:55 AM | 7:36 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:39 PM | 243° | 9h 44m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 7:06 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:15 PM | 255° | 10h 46m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:25 AM | 6:09 PM | 6:44 PM | 268° | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:37 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:14 PM | 284° | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:25 AM | 6:03 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:43 PM | 296° | 14h 18m |
| June | 5:12 AM | 5:52 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:05 PM | 302° | 14h 53m |
| July | 5:24 AM | 6:04 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:03 PM | 299° | 14h 38m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:28 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:33 PM | 289° | 13h 42m |
| September | 6:19 AM | 6:54 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:47 PM | 275° | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:47 AM | 7:23 AM | 5:24 PM | 6:00 PM | 260° | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:21 AM | 7:00 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:24 PM | 247° | 10h 04m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:32 AM | 3:35 PM | 4:17 PM | 240° | 9h 27m |
Computed for the park's reference point (38.9462, -114.2580); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
From Great Basin, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 1 (excellent dark-sky site), which is excellent for astrophotography.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | 4:44 AM – 4:54 AM | 0.2 | 12° |
| March | 3:53 AM – 5:13 AM | 1.3 | 19° |
| April | 1:49 AM – 4:19 AM | 2.5 | 22° |
| May | 11:51 PM – 3:31 AM | 3.7 | 22° |
| June | 10:04 PM – 3:04 AM | 5.0 | 22° |
| July | 9:57 PM – 1:47 AM | 3.8 | 22° |
| August | 9:13 PM – 11:43 PM | 2.5 | 22° |
| September | 8:18 PM – 9:38 PM | 1.3 | 19° |
| October | 7:28 PM – 7:38 PM | 0.2 | 12° |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.
Weather & best time to visit
There is almost an 8,000 ft (2,400 m) difference in elevation between Wheeler Peak and the valley floor. Weather conditions in the park vary with elevation. In late spring and early summer, days in the valley may be hot, yet the snow pack may not have melted in the higher elevations. The Great Basin is a desert, with low relative humidity and sharp drops in temperature at night. In the summer, fierce afternoon thunderstorms are common. It can snow any time of the year at high elevations.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 26% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (55%). July is the warmest month and December the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
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, Highway 487. 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. No public transportation is available to, or in, Great Basin National Park.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
- Group Camping
- RV Camping
- Caving
- Fishing
- Food
- Dining
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horse Camping (see also camping)
- Horseback Riding
- Hunting and Gathering
