We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser. The TripAdvisor website may not display properly.
We support the following browsers: Windows: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox. Mac: Safari.
Friends who know Great Basin National Park

Favorites (0)

Connect with friends - see if Great Basin National Park is one of their favorites.

Can Advise Me (0)

Connect with friends - see if they have advice on Great Basin National Park.

Been There (0)

Connect with friends - see if they've been to Great Basin National Park.

Going There (0)

Connect with friends - see if they're going to Great Basin National Park.

Free Newsletter

Interested in Great Basin National Park?

We'll send you updates with the latest deals, reviews and articles for Great Basin National Park each week.

Great Basin National Park forum: Snow

Recommended deals: Great Basin National Park

EldoradoReno.com Official Website. Book Online for the Lowest Prices
SilverLegacyReno.com Legendary service and beautiful accommodations in an ideal location
Fairmont.com Pay with any American Express® Card & save on dining at Fairmont Hotels.

Sign in / Register
 
Great Basin National Park Forum
Post a new topic Watch This Topic
Search in: 
   Shaker Heights
   Joined: Nov 2007
   Forum posts: 2
   Travel map pins: 0 

Reply to this post
Posted on: 10:00 pm, November 04, 2007

Would late November be a good time to vist Great Basin. How much of a factor would the weather be.

   San Francisco
   Joined: Jun 2006
   Forum posts: 3,318
   Travel map pins: 189 

destination expert  What's this?
for Death Valley, Death Valley National Park
Posted on: 5:40 pm, November 13, 2007

.Weather CAN be a factor, because most of the park is 5,000 to 13,000' in elevation. This means a wide variation in weather from place to place, but it generally means autumn and winter are brisk.

From about October to spring (time frame varies from year to year and could be as late as May) is the snow season. It can snow 30-40 inches in a month in winter. Roads can be closed to vehicles at higher elevations, but you could get around on snowshoes or x-c skis. Some campgrounds are open in winter, but there is no water (I think the supply lines freeze).

You can check the park website for more specific open and closure info.

nps.gov/grba/…outdooractivities.htm

Great Basin is beautiful all year. In winter, there are few visitors and it is peaceful. The visitor services in town consist of a motel, grocery store, automated gas station (unstaffed but always open), and a restaurant or two. They may have limited hours or services in winter--that is, in downtown Baker. This is most of downtown Baker:

tripadvisor.com/ReviewPhotos-g60840-d271944-…

The other nearby facility is about 5 miles away, right on US 50 at the NV-UT state line. It’s a motel with restaurant and gas station—not very scenic or quaint, but your factory-built modular house will have a bed, plumbing, and a heater.

Just about anywhere in the Great Basin region (the area between the Rockies and the Sierra Nevada) can be iffy in winter. The elevations are high and the snow and wind can be wicked. Hwy 50 in both states is desolate and lightly traveled in winter. The nearest town, Ely NV, is over 60 miles mountainous miles away. Going east, Delta UT is 100 miles away. These are not "cities," but they have food, gas, and lodging. The nearest real cities are Salt Lake (250 miles) and Las Vegas (300 miles). In fact, I wouldn’t suggest coming out here just to visit Great Basin, but it would be an enjoyable side trip in connection with a trip to one of those cities. Also, before you ask, the north rim of the Grand Canyon is likely to be closed by late November,

Recommended deals: Great Basin National Park

EldoradoReno.com Official Website. Book Online for the Lowest Prices
SilverLegacyReno.com Legendary service and beautiful accommodations in an ideal location
Fairmont.com Pay with any American Express® Card & save on dining at Fairmont Hotels.