Great Basin National Park

Great Basin is one of America's least-visited national parks, and that is precisely its appeal. Marooned in the high desert of eastern Nevada, far from any city, it rewards those who make the effort with a remarkable concentration of wonders: a snow-capped 3,982m mountain, a jewel-box of a cave, groves of the oldest living trees on Earth, and some of the darkest, most star-crammed skies in the United States.

Four worlds in one small park

Wheeler Peak dominates the skyline, and the road up its flank climbs through pinyon and juniper into aspen and alpine tundra, a whole span of climates in a few miles. Beneath it lie the Lehman Caves, a dazzling ranger-led wander through chambers hung with delicate mineral formations. Higher still cling the ancient bristlecone pines, gnarled survivors thousands of years old. And when night falls, the absence of any light pollution turns the sky into a river of stars and the Milky Way into a genuine event. For a UK family used to city glow, the darkness alone is worth the drive.

You come to Great Basin for solitude, stargazing and the quiet thrill of a park hardly anyone else has bothered to reach. On a clear night the sky here is one of the best in the country, so dark and so crowded with stars that teenagers who have only ever seen a handful from a city garden are genuinely awestruck; the Milky Way arches overhead like something out of a documentary. By day you can tour the Lehman Caves, drive up Wheeler Peak for alpine views, and walk among bristlecone pines that were already ancient when the Romans ruled. It is remote, uncommercial and blissfully uncrowded, a proper off-the-beaten-track adventure. For a UK family wanting something different from the big-name parks, its emptiness is the whole point.

Getting around Great Basin means driving, and the roads are few but scenic. The headline route is the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, which climbs steeply from the valley up the mountain's flank to trailheads and viewpoints near 3,000m; it is a superb drive but the upper section is typically closed by snow outside the summer months. From the trailheads you walk to reach the bristlecone grove, alpine lakes and the peak itself. The Lehman Caves are accessed from the visitor centre near the park entrance. There are no shuttles, so your hire car does everything. Distances within the park are short, but the drive up Wheeler Peak is slow and winding, so allow time. Always check road status at the visitor centre, as high-elevation conditions change quickly.

There is no public transport to or within Great Basin; its isolation makes a hire car non-negotiable. No buses, shuttles or trains serve this corner of eastern Nevada, and the nearest town, Baker, is tiny with minimal services. For a UK family, the only realistic approach is to fly into Las Vegas, Salt Lake City or Cedar City, hire a car and drive the several hours in, treating the journey across the empty basin-and-range landscape as part of the experience. Fuel up before you arrive, as filling stations are scarce.

• Book your Lehman Caves tour in advance; ranger-led spots are limited and sell out, especially in summer.
• Stay after dark for the stargazing; this is one of the darkest parks in the country, and the Milky Way is astonishing on a clear, moonless night.
• Drive the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive early; it climbs high and the upper section may be closed by snow outside summer.
• The bristlecone pine grove trail is a moderate but rewarding walk to meet the world's oldest trees.
• Fill up on fuel and supplies before you arrive; the nearest town, Baker, is tiny and services are minimal.
• Bring warm layers even in summer; nights at altitude are cold and the cave stays chilly year-round.
• Check the ranger programme for astronomy nights, often held with telescopes in the warmer months.

Great Basin's high-desert setting means big temperature swings and real altitude effects. Summers (June to September) bring warm, dry days in the lowlands but cool nights, and it can be genuinely cold up on Wheeler Peak with snow lingering into early summer; pack layers, a warm fleece and a waterproof even in July. Spring and autumn are lovely but variable, with snow possible on the high road. Winters are cold and snowy, closing the upper scenic drive. The cave stays a cool, constant temperature year-round, so bring a jumper for the tour. Nights are cold for stargazing, so wrap up warm whatever the season.

Great Basin's remoteness is central to its charm and its challenge. There is no nearby airport of any size, so from the UK you will fly into a hub and then face a long, scenic drive. The nearest practical gateways are Cedar City (CDC) at around 2.5 hours, Salt Lake City (SLC) at roughly 4 hours, and Las Vegas (LAS) at about 4.5 hours, the last two being the easiest to reach from London via a single connection. A hire car is absolutely essential; there is no other way in, and services along the way are sparse, so fuel up and stock provisions before the final stretch. The drive itself, across the wide-open basin-and-range country of Nevada and Utah, is part of the adventure. Many UK families fold Great Basin into a wider Southwest or Nevada road trip.