Title: Great Basin National Park
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane & Nigel Ruck
Date: 9th December 2018

The US is full of incredible national parks, and Nevada’s are exceptional. The vast landscapes mean there is a state or national park for just about any adventure you could hope to take.

• This whole area is full of mining history, as many years ago it was a popular place to mine silver ore. These days, it is the landscapes that are the real treasure of the state, giving visitors the options for picnics, camping, hiking and wildlife spotting.
• The Great Basin National Park is the only park that sits completely within Nevada’s borders. The 13,063 feet Wheeler Peak towers over a sea of desert sage bush, as well as pines and junipers found at higher elevation.
• The trek through the park is not difficult, and you’ll be able to see where the annual glacier melt from the mountain peaks begins forming alpine lakes, with some being estimated to be over 15,000 years old.
• There are trails all throughout the park, including one huge hike that goes all the way across the ridge to the very top of Wheeler Peak.
• The eco-system on the mountain is incredible, with some truly amazing plants. You’ll be able to find Bristlecone Pines, as well as the Quaking Aspen. These trees are all connected, with a nearby mother plant that could be thousands of years old.
• The Lehman Caves feature about 5 million years of geologic development, with warm water from below creating the empty spaces. There are multiple caves within the system, as well as some passages that you need to crawl to get through.