Wheeler Peak Campground — Hotel in Ely

Wheeler Peak Campground in Great Basin National Park, Nevada, is, in a word, spectacular!  HOWEVER, you need to know some critical bullet points before you ascend the mountain! First...there are several other campgrounds in the area, but none offer quite the stunning beauty, nor the extreme 10,000 ft. elevation, as WPC.  That said, your F150 pulling a 10,000 lb. trailer will be pissed going up the 8% ten-mile very narrow incline...Then your brakes will be on fire going down 10 minutes later after you discover the camp spots are tiny. My 30ft. truck and small trailer only barely fit in 3 or 4 campsites.  The rest, no way. Fear of heights...or of brake failure...or oncoming traffic...or electrical storms...or narrow roads...or shortness of breath? Avoid! If you need a Walmart within 30 minutes of your tent...good luck. If you aren't prepared for the elements such as very cold nights even in July, heavy rain, possible late Spring or early Fall snow, or strong winds, this is not for you.  DO NOT trust the Weatherman. Mountains make their own weather. But...if a fairly secluded mountain-top oasis poking out of a hot vast desert, teaming with streams, wildlife, pine-aspen-bristlecone trees, lots of shade, and green meadows peaks your interest, this unlikely slice of heaven won't disappoint! Clean running tap water and vault toilets are available throughout the camp which is a luxury up here.  BTW it's not a secret anymore, so don't expect any spots available weekends in June, July and August. Come early Thursday morning and watch the masses get turned around when this first-come campground is full. Or come early Saturday morning after a heavy monsoon storm the night before chased the city-folk back to motels in Ely! One more thing, don't bring your 90 year old folks up to this extreme altitude unless they are still running marathons...or you’re looking for a little family drama.  Don't say I...

Beautiful campground with overall friendly people. #22 definitely has the best view but many of the others have there own beauty. We saw lots of wild deer and turkeys. I did the wheeler peak summit trail which was very challenging but a great experience. The glacial lake trail head is very close to campgrounds and is one of the most beautiful trails I have ever done. We arrived in the afternoon on a Tuesday and got one of the last sites... definitely not as a busy as the national parks in surrounding states though. Awesome views and awesome opportunity to get some fresh, un-crowded air and dark night skies. Very cool in the middle of the July...

First things first, understand that Great Basin NP is really in the middle of nowhere. This is what is so great about it! The night time sky is a wonderfully inky black with fantastic stars. The campgrounds and trails do not feel crowded. Wildlife is plentiful - we saw deer and had wild turkeys walk by our campsite. The campground is quite high with cold nights due to the elevation so be prepared. Place is beautiful with great pine trees and many aspens. View is spectacular. Highly recommend the Bristlecone Pine trail nearby. Get everything you need for your campsite on the way in as it is a long drive to go get...