Baker Lake Trail and Pole Canyon: How to Hike Great Basin National Park

On Day 2 of your trip to Great Basin National Park, hike the Baker Lake Trail and the Pole Canyon Trail to explore more of this excellent national park. The Baker Lake Trail will reward you with stellar views of the surrounding mountains and ends at an alpine lake – if you can make it that far.

Next, hike in Pole Canyon and experience what it’s like to hike in a “bowl” surrounded by mountains. If you are looking for more activities and hikes at Great Basin, check out our post here on how to spend 4 days at this national park.

Before You Venture Out

• Great Basin National Park gets quite a bit of snow each year. As a matter of fact, the average snowfall is 73.8 inches (6 feet) per year! Depending on when you travel here, the trails listed below may still be snow-covered or impassible.
• Get to all trailheads early to guarantee parking.
• Surprisingly, there are NO entrance fees for Great Basin National Park.

Weather and General Safety

Lightning

• In fact, this is a major concern! Thunderstorms are common in the summer months. Always monitor the weather forecasts and plan accordingly. Further, storms might pop up at any time. If caught in a storm:
  • Descend to lower elevations in the park and get to your car or a shelter.
  • Don’t hide under trees – they could get hit by lightning.
  • Crouch near the ground if in an open area.
  • Do not be the tallest object in the area and avoid other tall objects.

• Cell phone coverage is spotty in this national park as it is very remote. Do not rely on your phone for communication. Always have an alternate plan.
• Carry plenty of snacks and water. It’s recommended to carry at least 1 liter of water for every 5 miles you are hiking. We pack PB&J and other snacks to eat around lunchtime on the trails.
• Always carry a first aid kit.
• Make a plan to tell at least one person where you plan to be each day in case something happens.
• Reduce your risk by preparing and having the proper gear for all hikes you plan to complete. This means good shoes and proper hiking attire. No flip-flops!
• Be aware of altitude sickness.
  • Difficulty breathing, incoherent speech, headaches, and nausea can be some symptoms to watch for. If you are affected, descend immediately. Altitude sickness can be life-threatening.

Animal Safety at Great Basin National Park

• Great Basin National Park is home to many animals, including mountain lions, rattlesnakes, porcupines, marmots, bighorn sheep, etc.
  • Review the steps to take if you encounter a mountain lion along the trail.

Baker Lake Trail – moderate/strenuous – 10 miles, out and back, 2,600 ft. gain

First, enter Great Basin National Park from the entrance on the west side and drive up Lehman Caves Road until you reach Baker Creek Road and turn left. This is mostly a gravel road that will lead you to the trailhead of this hike.

Note that you don’t need a 4-wheel drive vehicle for this road, but it is usually closed from November to April.

Next, as you begin your hike along the trail, you’ll pass through rocky, forested sections with plenty of wildflowers if the season is right. There are some good switchbacks on the first part of this trail as well. Our favorite!

The Baker Lake Trail travels along Baker Creek at certain locations, and if the snow is melting, the water will be running hard. As you continue to hike, you’ll cross multiple streams. Some will be easy to cross, and others might have some spots where you are forced to get wet if water levels are high.

Baker Lake

Continue hiking through open clearings and forested sections as you gain elevation closer to the alpine zone of Great Basin National Park. At this point, you may encounter a nice snowpack along the trail if the area had a winter with heavy snowfall.

Sometimes even into June – just like when we were there, snow was still present. At this point, we turned around as the snow was too deep to continue. However, if the trail is clear, keep climbing until you reach Baker Lake! This is a great spot for a bite to eat before you turn around and return the way you came.

If you turned around early or you want an alternate view for your return, hike back until you reach the Baker Creek Loop Trail. This is about 4 miles from Baker Lake. Once you reach the junction, turn right and hike this trail about 0.5 mile to the Baker Meadows Trail. Then turn left when you reach that trail.

This is an alternate hike that has excellent views of green meadows filled with wildflowers and mountains as the backdrop. From here, it’s about 1.3 miles back to the parking lot where you started.

Pole Canyon Trail – moderate/strenuous – up to 8 miles, out and back

After completing your first hike of the morning and waiting out another pop-up thunderstorm in the car, take a hike on the Pole Canyon Trail. See – we told you there are lots of random afternoon thunderstorms here!

Start out by driving to the trailhead along Baker Creek Road. From the Baker Lake Parking lot where you just ended your hike, drive back toward the visitor center until you reach a spur road on the right that will lead you down a one-lane dirt road to the Pole Canyon Trailhead. Park here and begin your hike.

First, the trail is very wide and smooth with a steady incline. Eventually, the trail narrows and winds through a dense forest of conifers. After hiking for a while, the views open up into Pole Canyon and you’ll feel as though you are hiking in a bowl, surrounded by mountains on all sides! The trees thin out, and you’ll be rewarded with beautiful scenery.

If you choose to hike this entire trail, eventually the incline will steepen significantly as you head up the mountain. You will have excellent views of Pole Canyon and the surrounding mountains! The end of this trail is at the junction of the Pole Canyon Trail and the Timber Creek Trail. Turn around and head back the way you came to reach the parking lot.

🛏️ Not a fan of camping? Check out your options for accommodations in Ely, Nevada.

End The Day in Baker, NV

Afterward, head to Baker, NV, for a bite to eat at one of their few restaurants. For a unique meal on Day 2 of your visit to Great Basin National Park, we recommend Sandra’s Mexican Food! This unassuming food truck, located just off the main road and Pioche Street, is absolutely delicious! 100% authentic too! Don’t forget to order a nice refreshing horchata with your meal. There are a few tables to eat and watch the afternoon storms roll in, or you can take it to go.

Additionally, across the main street from Sandra’s is the only gas station in town if you need to fill up. It’s definitely a unique experience gassing up with no staff or other people around.

Where to Stay Near Great Basin National Park

Let’s be real here! With Great Basin National Park being so remote, there are limited accommodations near the park. However, if you are camping, there are many options inside and near the park.

We chose to stay at an Airbnb close to Baker, NV. Below are some nearby hotels and other places to stay near Ely, NV. Note that Ely is a 1-hour+ drive time to Great Basin National Park.

• Prospector Hotel and Gambling Hall – this western-themed hotel has a casino, restaurant, and is pet-friendly. Book now on Expedia or Booking.com.
• La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Ely – breakfast included at this nice hotel in town! Check out the rates on Expedia and Booking.com.
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites Ely, an IHG hotel – close to the Ghost Train of Old Ely and breakfast included. Top-rated by guests who have stayed here. Reserve your room on Expedia or Booking.com.
• If you really want to stay close to the park and enjoy those dark skies, check out VRBO!

Final Thoughts

We really enjoyed both the Baker Lake Trail and the Pole Canyon Trail! It was a bummer that we could not hike all the way to Baker Lake, but the snowpack was too deep and slippery for us to continue all the way to the lake. We will have to return to Great Basin National Park in the future.

Finally, we really enjoyed dining al fresco at Sandra’s Mexican Food as we watched an afternoon thunderstorm roll in from the north. As we drove back to our Airbnb, Mother Nature put on a lightning show for us. You can really see the storms out here in the open landscape of Nevada!