Natural Attraction

Baker Creek Road

Natural Attraction
Green and white road sign for Baker Road

A 3.5-mile unpaved road climbs through Great Basin's pinyon-juniper woodland, framing the elevation transition from basin floor to subalpine forest. Graded gravel provides direct access to alpine lakes—Baker Lake and Johnson Lake—and high-country campgrounds. Fall aspen foliage ignites the slopes in gold and orange; summer brings active marmots burrowing along roadsides; winter snow closes the road to vehicles, opening it to snowshoers and skiers.

More details

Attraction Type
Scenic Road
How To Get There
Baker Creek Road branches from the main park road, ascending through the pinyon-juniper woodland zone toward higher elevations and alpine campgrounds. Follow it 3.5 miles one way.
Main Features
Unpaved gravel road 3.5 miles long; Pinyon pine and Utah juniper forest; Access to Baker Lake and Johnson Lake trailheads; Alpine campgrounds (Baker Creek, Grey Cliffs); Seasonal aspen foliage in fall; Marmot activity in summer

Location

Astronomy Ampitheater

Thousands of stars and the Milky Way visible from this International Dark-Sky Park—ranger telescope tours offered summer nights.

Baker Lake

Mountain cirque lake at 10,200 ft, rocky banks often snow-capped. Six miles uptrail from Baker Creek.

Bristlecone Grove

Ancient bristlecone pines cling to rocky talus. 4,000-year-old trees in extreme alpine terrain.

Dead Lake

Small alpine lake in glacial cirque, formed by Pleistocene ice sculpting of Great Basin granite.

Lehman Caves

Nevada's longest cave reveals crystalline shield formations and glittering speleothems on daily guided tours.

Johnson Lake

Alpine cirque lake ringed by granite peaks. Historic mining relics in the backcountry.

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Sources

Editorial review: YourNPGuide Editorial Team. Information is compiled from official sources, verified traveler reviews, and editorial research; no firsthand visit is implied unless explicitly documented. Learn how YourNPGuide works.

Last updated July 2026. Report an issue.