The reality of the drive
Great Basin is not a day trip in any conventional sense. From Las Vegas it is 289 miles up US-93 to Ely, then another 65 miles on US-50 to Baker at the park entrance. Plan a minimum overnight in Ely at the Hotel Nevada ($95) or the La Quinta ($120). From Reno it is 6 hours via I-80 and US-93, same overnight logic.
There is no entry fee. There is one gas station in Baker; fill up in Ely.
What to do in a day inside the park
Drive the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, 12 miles from 6,800 to 10,000 feet, closes in winter. Hike the Bristlecone-Glacier trail, 4.6 miles round trip, to see trees older than the pyramids. Lehman Caves tours are ranger-led, $15 to $20, book at recreation.gov weeks ahead. The 60-minute Lodge Room tour is the one to take.
Sunset above 9,000 feet, then stay for stars. The park is a certified International Dark Sky Park and holds an astronomy festival every September.
Baker and Ely
Baker has one restaurant, Kerouac's at the Stargazer Inn, dinner around $30, closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Ely has the Cell Block Steakhouse inside the old Ely jail ($40 steaks) and the Hotel Nevada casino, which still pays out silver dollars at the front cage. The Nevada Northern Railway in Ely runs a $39 heritage steam train Fridays and Saturdays.
Good to know
Is Great Basin worth the drive?+
For anyone who loves quiet national parks, yes. Visitation is under 150,000 a year, versus 5 million at Zion. You will have trails to yourself.
When is Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive open?+
Late May through October, weather dependent. The upper mile stays closed even in June some years.
Do I need reservations for Lehman Caves?+
Yes, they sell out weeks in advance in summer. Book at recreation.gov. Same-day walk-ups occasionally exist for the shorter Parachute Shield tour.
Can I see stars without a telescope?+
Absolutely. On a moonless night the Milky Way casts a shadow. Bring a red flashlight to preserve night vision.