Great Basin National Park · Nevada

Pole Canyon Trail

3.3 mi of trail, end to end · Hike Pole Canyon: 6.6 mi round trip in the Service's write-up · about 1,600 ft of climbing · 6,871 ft–8,461 ft · native, wood surface · trail class Developed · hiking, horse

Picnic areas

6,890 ft 8,288 ft · 3.3 mi high 8,459 ft

Along the way Pole Canyon Picnic Area

Hike Pole Canyon 6.6 mi round trip · the Park Service's write-up

3-6 Hours · no dogs

Start Pole Canyon Trailhead

Lime green trees flank a brown dirt trail with a light dusting of snow
At lower elevations pole canyon is great for hike in the off season. Photo: M. Akpinar

Trail Overview

Total Distance: 6.6 miles / 10.6 kilometers

Starting elevation: 6,880 feet / 2,097 meters

Elevation Gain: 1,600 feet / 488 meters

Difficulty: Moderate

Time: 3 hours - 6 hours

Begin at : Pole Canyon Trailhead

Pole Canyon wanders through meadow and forested area leading to a mountain pass. Mixed conifers, stream crossings, spectacular views of Baker Peak means this trail has it all. Located along Baker Creek road, Pole Canyon is easily accessible year round, though sometimes requiring a short snowshoe from the Baker Creek pit toilet to the trailhead.

This hike starts at the Pole Canyon Trailhead off of Baker Creek Road. Make the turn off 1.5 miles down the road towards Grey Cliffs Campground, then stay left at the first split. Down this road several hundred feet is the Pole Canyon Picnic Area and Trailhead. Parking outside of designated spaces or along the road is prohibited.

No pets permitted on park trails. Trained service animals allowed. Learn more about service animal regulations at this link.

Water

Potable water is not available along Baker Creek Road. Pack sufficient water with you, about one gallon per person per day. Water is available year-round at the nearby Lehman Caves Visitor Center or seasonally at the dump station.

Restrooms

The nearest restrooms are pit toilets with no running water at the Pole Canyon Trailhead.

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.