Starlit Bristlecones At Great Basin

March 15, 2021

Larger Image

A dynamic view of Bristlecone pine groves, high up in the mountains of Great Basin National Park under a wondrous starlit night sky.

Great Basin National Park is located in Nevada within in the stunning diverse Great Basin Desert, one of the four deserts of the United States and the only "cold" desert in the country, where most precipitation falls in the form of snow. Great Basin National Park provides visitors a sample of the massive Great Basin ... including the 13,000-foot Wheeler Peak, sage-covered foothills, the Lehman Caves, and the wildlife that make it home ... along with stunning atmospheric night views.

The story of the Great Basin is not just one of geology and landforms, but also of people. This region has been home to American Indians for thousands of years. In more recent times, farmers, ranchers, Mormons, and sheepherders all called the Great Basin home. Within Great Basin National Park, region, stories of people and of places abound. Humans have left their mark, from the Fremont Indians, to the first explorer of Lehman Caves, Absalom Lehman, to the mining camps that once dotted the South Snake Range. Remnants of these times are invaluable links to the past, as worthy of preservation as much as any of the park's natural resources.

Image created by USA Patriotism! from U.S. National Park Service photo by Kelly Carroll.

More U.S. National Parks Photos | U.S. National Park Service