Great Basin National Park · Nevada

Wheeler Peak Summit Trail

4.3 mi of trail, end to end · Hike to Wheeler Peak: 9 mi round trip in the Service's write-up · about 10 ft of climbing · 2,900 ft of descent · 10,176 ft–13,051 ft · native surface · trail class Moderately Developed · hiking

13,051 ft 10,396 ft · 3.0 mi high 13,051 ft

Trailhead Summit Trailhead 10,171 ft Drive there

Hike to Wheeler Peak 9 mi round trip · the Park Service's write-up

4-10 Hours · no dogs · Summer, Fall

Start Summit Trailhead

View from wheeler peak with blue skies and rocky mountain peaks.
The view from the Wheeler Summit on a clear day allows you to see up to hundreds of miles. Photo: J. Hamilton

Trail Overview

Total Distance: 8.6 miles / 14.0 kilometers

Starting elevation: 10,160 feet / 3,097 meters

Elevation Gain: 3,100 feet / 945 meters

Difficulty: Strenuous

Time: 4 hours - 10 hours

Begin at : Summit Trailhead

Wheeler Peak stands as the second tallest point in Nevada, and the tallest to have its flanks entirely within the state. This rocky and windy trail is considered one of the hardest in the park, and finishes with the steepest section of trail in the park. Once standing on it's top, Wheeler Peak strikes awe allowing sight of more than 100 miles on a clear day. Hikers should be prepared for a steep and exposed hike where thunderstorms and high winds are common. During the summer, snow still may be on the trail at the higher elevations.

After reaching the saddle between Wheeler and Bald Mt, about 2.5 miles up the trail, hikers get above treeline and become the most prominent features on the hillsides. This means extreme danger when thunderstorms approach. The trail is best done starting around dawn so well prepared and altitude adjusted hikers can return by the late morning or early afternoon.

Beginning at an elevation of about 10,000 feet, these trails provide both a respite from the summer heat of the Snake Valley, but also added dangers in the form of altitude sickness and afternoon thunderstorms. Be prepared with plenty of water and salty snacks, or to return to your vehicle if you become symptomatic of altitude sickness or see thunderclouds rolling in.

This hike starts at the Summit Trailhead near the top of the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, 2/3 of a mile short of the Bristlecone Trailhead at the end of the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. 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 the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. 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 Bristlecone Trailhead.

Accessibility This trail is not accessible.

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.