Wheeler Peak Summit Trail
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- 3.0 mi
- round trip
- 2,652 ft
- climb
- 13,056 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
Is Wheeler Peak Summit Trail open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Great Basin National Park. It doesn't name Wheeler Peak Summit Trail, so check the source for the area it covers.
Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive Winter Closure
Park closure covering Great Basin National Park · NPS · Great Basin National Park
As of · Source: NPS · Great Basin National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Wheeler Peak Summit Trail is a 6.1-mile out-and-back route in Great Basin National Park in Nevada, managed by the National Park Service. The trail climbs from a low point of 10,392 feet to the summit at 13,056 feet, a total gain of 2,652 feet. It is rated expert, and the round trip covers about 6 miles with roughly 2,650 feet of elevation gain. The trail starts at the Alpine Lakes Loop Trail, which sits just 0.1 mile away, and the Bristlecone Trail is about 0.8 mile off. The Summit Trailhead and Wheeler Peak are both within about a mile.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
HIKE
Bristlecone Trailhead
~1 min drive
Bristlecone Trailhead is located at the end of Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. This is one of the most popular trailheads at Great Basin National Park. The Wheeler Peak Bristlecone Grove is a 1.4-mile hike from the trailhead. This trailhead also offers access to the Sky Island Fore…
Photo: Seth Tisue, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Wheeler Peak
~2 min drive
Standard route to Wheeler Peak (13,065 ft) from Summit.
Photo: simonov, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Osceola Ditch Trail
~5 min drive
Historic out-and-back hike following a scenic Nevada ditch system.
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Timber Creek Trail
~8 min drive
7.22-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 3,290 ft gain/loss and a max elevation of 9,859 ft.
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Bristlecone Trail
~1 min drive
0.74-mile out-and-back hike in Nevada with 121 ft elevation gain.
Photo: cm195902, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Baker Creek Trail
~6 min drive
5.67-mile out-and-back hike in Nevada with 1,392 ft gain and 2,754 ft loss.
Photo: Seth Tisue, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Osceola Ditch Trailhead
~6 min drive
The Osceola Ditch Trailhead is located about 4.5 miles up the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. The Osceola Ditch Trail follows the path of a historic mining ditch used to carry water from Lehman Creek to the mining boomtown of Osceola. Due to trail damage resulting from the 2016 Str…
HIKE
Johnson Lake Trail
~11 min drive
7.74-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 3,206 ft elevation gain
HIKE
Summit Trailhead
~2 min drive
The Summit Trailhead gives access to the Wheeler Summit Trail. This trail leads to the summit of Wheeler Peak, over 4.2 miles one way. This trail is considered strenuous and hikers should be prepared for a steep and exposed hike. Thunderstorms and high winds are common. Durin…
Photo: cm195902, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)Highland Ridge Route
~7 min drive
18.18-mile out-and-back trail in Nevada with 6,859 ft elevation gain/loss
Route details
- Distance
- 3.0 mi round trip
- Climbing
- About 2,652 ft
- Summit
- 13,056 ft
- Difficulty
- Expert
Other routes up Wheeler Peak
Questions about this route
How long is the Wheeler Peak Summit Trail on Wheeler Peak?
About 3.0 mi round trip.
How much elevation gain is on the Wheeler Peak Summit Trail?
About 2,652 ft of climbing round trip.
How hard is the Wheeler Peak Summit Trail?
It is rated expert.
How many routes go up Wheeler Peak?
2: Wheeler Peak Summit Trail and Wheeler Peak.
Conditions and forecast on Wheeler Peak
Daily highs and lows, wind and the chance of precipitation at the summit and route start for the next 7 days, from the Open-Meteo model.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
