Great Basin National Park · Nevada

Lexington Arch Trail

1.8 mi of trail, end to end · Hike to Lexington Arch: 5.6 mi round trip in the Service's write-up · about 1,100 ft of climbing · 7,405 ft–8,456 ft · native surface · trail class Developed · hiking

Arches

7,405 ft 8,202 ft · 1.4 mi high 8,213 ft

Along the way Lexington Arch

Hike to Lexington Arch 5.6 mi round trip · the Park Service's write-up

2-4 Hours · dogs allowed

Start Lexington Arch Trailhead

Large tan limestone arch with snow on the ground.
The hike to Lexington arch rewards hikers with views a over 200 foot tall arch. Photo: C. Lint

Trail Overview

Distance: 5.6 miles / 9.0 kilometers

Starting elevation: 7,050 feet / 2,149 meters

Elevation Gain: 1,220 feet / 372 meters

Difficulty: Moderate

Time: 3 hours - 5 hours

Begin at : Lexington Arch Trailhead

Lexington Arch stands as one of the tallest limestone arches in the world at nearly 200 feet tall. This trail takes visitors from a makeshift trailhead all the way underneath the arch, meandering through shurbland and some old forest. A fire in the early 2010s brought down the road contructed to the original trailhead and burned much of the surrounding hillsides, threatening the arch itself. Since then, a makeshift trailhead has been constructed about 1.0 miles short of the original, making for a ~5.6 mile round trip hike. Due to the fire, the trail is mostly on exposed hillsides with little shade. Live trees emerge as you ascend the trail, allowing for occasional relief from the heat of the summer.

This hike starts at the end of Lexington Creek Road, outside the national park boundary. Stop to park at the trailhead at the road's end. Parking outside of designated spaces or along the road is prohibited. This road is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). As a result, the park may not close the road even if conditions are hazardous. Exercise caution driving to the arch in spring and fall, as washouts and running water are common.

Lexington Arch is the one and only trail within Great Basin National Park that permits pets. Pet owners must still follow all regulations, including keeping animals on no longer than a six foot leash.

Water

Potable water is not available. Pack sufficient water with you, about one gallon per person per day.

Restrooms

There are no toilets near the Lexington Arch or its trailhead. Pack out any toilet paper or other waste garbage.

Accessibility This hike is not accessible due to rocky terrain.

This hike on nps.gov

On the parks map

All 35 trails in Great Basin National ParkFind a trailOn the parks mapPark on nps.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the National Park Service's public trails layer, the trailheads and the waterfalls, views, peaks and historic places along them the Service's public points of interest, read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end. The write-ups are the Service's own "things to do" text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the park's own site before you go.