Nothing screams summer fun like a national park, but who wants to visit Yellowstone again?
Located just outside of Baker, Nevada is Great Basin National Park. Just like some of the other parks we've featured recently, the park is somewhat out of the way. The National Park Service even warns in bold to plan ahead due to limited services! That must be why fewer than 100,000 people visited last year.
Flying into Salt Lake City or Las Vegas will still put you about 275 miles away from the park, so aim your rental car towards Highway 488 and you'll find it.
Besides peace and quiet, the main tourist attractions here are bristlecone pine trees. Thought to be one of the oldest living things on the planet, they grow very slowly, but their dense wood is resistant to bugs and other nasties that would otherwise harm normal trees.
After a hard day with your head in the trees, you'll sleep like a baby if you choose a spot to camp for the evening. Great Basin was found to be one of the darkest locations in the country by the National Park Night Sky Team, so you'll get to see some stars that otherwise would go unseen.
The next day, wake up and head to the Lehman Caves. The park service offers guided tours of the limestone caves that often sell out during the summer months, so be sure to call ahead.
Days in the valley portion of the park may be hot, but during the early summer the snow at higher elevations may still be present. Thunderstorms are frequent, so remember that rain gear.
Related Stories:
· Great Basin National Park [Official Site]
· National Parks coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: Zest-pk]
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