Established in 1986, Great Basin National Park is a 77,000-acre "island" of biodiversity rising out of the Nevada desert. It is defined by its extreme verticality—moving from the sagebrush-covered valley floor to the sub-alpine tundra of Wheeler Peak (13,063 ft) in just a few miles of driving. The park is a sanctuary for some of the rarest and oldest features in North America, making it a premier destination for those seeking solitude and scientific wonder.

The Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive is often described as a "drive through the seasons." In just 12 miles, this paved mountain road gains over 4,000 feet in elevation, taking you from the high-desert sagebrush of the valley floor to the sub-alpine forests at the foot of Nevada’s second-highest peak.