This post is linked to WATERY WEDNESDAY. It is a continuation of the previous post about our visit to Great Basin National Park.
Starting near the campground, Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive climbs along the shoulder of the Mountain, ending near the treeline. In 12 miles, the drive gains 3,400 feet in elevation,passing through several enviromental zones to its bristlecone pine forest and view of Mt Wheeler. The picture below is Aspen woodlands part way up the drive. Upper Lehman Creek campground, where we stayed, is a meadow area, on this lovely creek. The snow only recently melted and there were lots of spring wildflowers.
The Great Basin is actually a series of basins between ranges of mountains from California's Sierra Nevada to Utah's Wasatch Mountains. Water in these basins have no outlet to the sea and so it collects in shallow lakes and marshes that dry out in the dry desert air.
You know you're in the Basin area (not necessarily in the National Park) when you drive through what seems like oceans of sagebrush ...and then look up to see beautiful mountain ranges at the skyline. Plants and animals that couldn't survive on the lower desert live up there.
Congress created the National Park in 1986 to protect part of the Basin. The Park encompasses the South Snake Range, a desert mountain island on the Utah-Nevada border.
This is Mt Wheeler. The road was still closed to traffic just behind where these people are walking.
There are several good hiking trails in the park, including a trail up Wheeler Peak. We walked at lower elevations -- it was COLD up here on top of the Drive!
Love that first pic! Yes, it does look cold up there -and this is July!
Posted by: Emille | July 07, 2011 at 11:49 AM
Happy that I followed part two. What a place. Beautiful, just very beautiful. Well done.
Posted by: Fotokarusellen | July 07, 2011 at 12:19 AM
I love the waterfall! Such a lovely park to share with us.
Posted by: Wren | July 06, 2011 at 07:12 PM
There is just so much of American beauty most of us never get to visit. Thanks for sharing your photos with the rest of the world!
Posted by: bettyl | July 06, 2011 at 02:46 PM
Nice to see different times of year around the world... Love that little creek in the first photo!
Posted by: Sanna | July 06, 2011 at 11:29 AM
We wanted to camp at the park too but, of course, big RVs are not allowed. That's one of the reasons we liked it and thought it was like the old national park days. We were there in September and there was still snow in the shady areas.
Posted by: Margot | July 06, 2011 at 09:32 AM
Part 2 is even more spectacular than Part 1.I love the second photo best. Thanks for sharing.
Rosie
Posted by: [email protected] | July 06, 2011 at 07:11 AM
OooOoo! We love national parks! I have never been to this one, but now you have peaked my interest! The photos are beautiful. :)
Living So Abundantly: New meme starting tomorrow, July 7, 2011, Give Back Thursday--come join the fun!
Posted by: Living So Abundantly | July 06, 2011 at 05:36 AM
I didnt know until recently that tumbleweeds are NOT native to this country! What an amazing landscape--
Posted by: Sondra | July 05, 2011 at 05:39 PM
wow, so beautiful up there.
Posted by: Ewok | July 05, 2011 at 01:16 PM
Driving along US 50 it is hard to imagine this little Eden lies on the nearby mountain.
Posted by: Martha | July 05, 2011 at 12:59 PM