Great Basin understand · Great Basin tourist information
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Great Basin tourist information
Great Basin tourist information
The Great Basin is characterized by a series of north-south running mountain ranges separated by relatively flat basins. The highest peaks in these ranges are over 13,000 feet, while the lowest points in the basins are about 4000 feet. Due to the "rain-shadow" effect from the Sierra Nevada, the Great Basin is very arid, with annual precipitation varying from approximately 4 inches per year to 10 inches per year, although the highest peaks can see significantly more precipitation. Most of this precipitation occurs in the form of snow in the winter, and is thus not available to plant life during the growing season. The predominant vegetation is sagebrush and shadscale in the lower elevations, dispersed Pinon-Juniper woodland at middle elevations, and Bristlecone and Limber Pine just below the alpine zone. Runoff collects in "playa" (dry lake-beds) or in a few cases year-round lakes and from there evaporates.
As well over 80% of the land in the Great Basin is publicly owned, opportunities for outdoor recreation are, quite literally, everywhere. Due to the region's remoteness and harshness, though, thorough planning is a necessity. Always bring reserves of fuel and water, and do not count on getting cell phone reception.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Great Basin
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Great Basin - updated Apr 2024
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WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020
Great Basin Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.