Major city · United States
Baker, NevadaBaker
Stay 1–2 nights in Baker only as a bed for Great Basin National Park: the town is a 5-mile spur off US-50 with a handful of lodgings.
Baker is a 68-person community in White Pine County, five miles south of US Highway 50 on State Route 487, and the practical gateway to Great Basin National Park. Almost nobody comes for Baker; they come for Lehman Caves, Wheeler Peak and the dark skies above them. Treat it as a base with a car, not a destination, and give the park the days you have.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- USD
- Best months
- May–Sep for the park's high trails and caves; Sep–Oct for cooler hiking and clear skies
- avoid Jul–Aug midday heat in the valley; winter, when the Wheeler Peak scenic drive and high trails close
- Airports
- ELY · LAS · SLC
- Nights
- 1–2
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
- North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
- North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
- North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
- United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
- United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
- United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
- United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for Baker, Nevada911 ▾
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Great Basin National Park (information)775-234-7331
- Nevada Highway Patrol (non-emergency)*647
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Baker, Nevada, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the US dollar (USD, $).United States-wide
- SIM or eSIMAT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.United States-wide
- Tap waterTap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.United States-wide
- TippingSit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.United States-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 120 V: UK and AU 230 V-only devices need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.United States-wide
- SafetyBaker is a very small, low-crime community and the main risks are environmental: heat, altitude, long empty drives and no cell signal.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsFree public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations.United States-wide
- Emergency numbers911 police, fire, ambulance · 775-234-7331 Great Basin National Park (information) · *647 Nevada Highway Patrol (non-emergency)
- Sundays & holidaysFederal holidays close offices, banks and post offices; national parks stay open.United States-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportcheckELY Ely Airport (small, limited service) (About 1 h 15 min by car via US-50/Alt-93; check whether any scheduled service is running).
- Getting aroundYou need a car.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCoffee or a simple breakfast in town$5–12
- BeerBeer at a bar or from the store$5–8$2–4
- Budget bedCampground pitch (in or near the park), a night, per roomUS$20
- Mid-range bedMotel or guesthouse double room, a night, per roomUS$130
- High-end bedMotel or guesthouse double room, a night, per roomUS$200
A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$70 · Mid US$130 · High US$220
Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- ELY Ely Airport (small, limited service) (About 1 h 15 min by car via US-50/Alt-93; check whether any scheduled service is running) · LAS Harry Reid International, Las Vegas (The usual arrival point: about 4.5–5 h by car via I-15 and US-93/Alt-93) · SLC Salt Lake City International (About 4.5–5 h by car via I-15 and US-6/US-50)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
not flagged
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
Feb
not flagged
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
Mar
not flagged
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
Apr
not flagged
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
May
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Jun
Best
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
Jul
Care
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
Aug
Care
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
Sep
Best
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
Oct
Best
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
Nov
not flagged
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
Dec
not flagged
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
Best: May–Jun, Sep–Oct. Mixed: Jul–Aug. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)), coolest Jan (−9°C (16°F)16°F (−9°C) low), wettest Aug (7 rain days), driest Jan (5). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Baker, Nevada: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
−9°C (16°F)16°F (−9°C)
5 rd
Feb
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
−7°C (19°F)19°F (−7°C)
5 rd
Mar
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
−4°C (25°F)25°F (−4°C)
6 rd
Apr
16°C (61°F)61°F (16°C)
−1°C (30°F)30°F (−1°C)
6 rd
May
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
6 rd
Jun
27°C (81°F)81°F (27°C)
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
5 rd
Jul
31°C (88°F)88°F (31°C)
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
6 rd
Aug
30°C (86°F)86°F (30°C)
11°C (52°F)52°F (11°C)
7 rd
Sep
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
5 rd
Oct
18°C (64°F)64°F (18°C)
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
5 rd
Nov
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
−5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C)
5 rd
Dec
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
−9°C (16°F)16°F (−9°C)
5 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
You need a car. Baker is small enough to walk end to end, but the park entrance, Lehman Caves visitor centre, campgrounds and trailheads are several miles up the Wheeler Peak road, and there is no shuttle or taxi. Fill the tank before you arrive; fuel and groceries are limited in town.
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Great Basin National Park
goDoor to door: 10–30 min
Drive State Route 488 west from Baker to the park entrance, then up the Wheeler Peak scenic road
The reason you are here: Lehman Caves tours, alpine trails and night-sky viewing. Book cave tours ahead in season.
Ely
goDoor to door: About 1 h 15 min
Drive north on US-50/Alt-93
The nearest town with a full range of services, fuel, food and the Nevada Northern Railway museum.
Door to door: About 2 h 30 min
Drive west on US-50
A long, empty stretch of the Loneliest Road; do it as a leg of a US-50 drive, not a return day.
Western Utah (Garrison, Delta)
cautionDoor to door: 30 min–1 h 30 min
Drive east on US-50/State Route 487 to the state line
Services thin out fast across the line; check fuel and hours before crossing.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Baker townsite
The only real choice: a few motels, guesthouses and a small store, all within a couple of minutes of each other. Book ahead in summer.
Along US-50 near the state line
A casino-motel at the highway junction, about 5 miles north of Baker; handy if you arrive late from the east.
In-park camping
Developed campgrounds inside Great Basin National Park, first-come in season; no beds, so bring everything.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- $60–100 excl. bed
- Mid
- $100–170 excl. bed
- High
- $170+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Motel or guesthouse double room1 × 2 nights × US$130 | US$260 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × US$130 | US$520 |
| Fuel, Baker to the park and back plus local driving, per day1 × US$15 | US$15 |
| Lehman Caves ranger tour, per person2 × US$15 | US$30 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$25 | US$50 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | US$88 |
| Trip total≈ US$241 per person per day, bed included | US$963 |
2026 estimate in US dollars; park entry fees and flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee or a simple breakfast in town | $5–12 |
| Diner or café main | $12–22 |
| Beer at a bar or from the store | $5–8 / $2–4 |
| Fuel per US gallon (remote Nevada) | $4–5 |
| Motel double room, summer | $80–200 |
| Lehman Caves tour | $10–15 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Distances are huge and services are sparse: carry water, food and a full tank between Baker, Ely and the Utah line.
- Cell coverage is patchy to absent outside town; download offline maps before you leave US-50.
- Summer afternoons in the valley are hot and the altitude at Wheeler Peak is 3,000 m-plus: pace yourself and drink more than you think.
- Winter snow can close the park's scenic drive and high trails; check park conditions before driving up.
- Lehman Caves is entered on a ranger-guided tour only: book ahead in season, no ticket, no cave.
Emergency numbers
- Police, fire, ambulance
- 911
- Great Basin National Park (information)
- 775-234-7331
- Nevada Highway Patrol (non-emergency)
- *647
Pocket card
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Baker, NevadaBaker
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
—
—
—
To this address, pleaseTo this address, please
Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Great Basin National Park775-234-7331
- Nevada Highway Patrol (non-emergency)*647
Embassy
No consulates in Baker; nearest consular offices are in Las Vegas or Salt Lake City.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Fuel, Las Vegas → Baker: about 300 miles; fill in Ely or Las Vegas
- Lehman Caves tour: $10–15 per person, ranger-guided, book ahead in season
- Park entrance: check current Great Basin National Park fee
Say or show
- Where's the nearest gas? — Where is the nearest gas station?
- Do you have a room tonight? — Do you have a room for tonight?
- How far to the park? — How far is the park entrance?
- Do you get signal here? — Is there cell service here?
Baker is tiny: confirm lodging and store hours before you arrive, especially outside summer.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Baker, Nevada. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: May–Sep for the park's high trails and caves; Sep–Oct for cooler hiking and clear skies · avoid Jul–Aug midday heat in the valley; winter, when the Wheeler Peak scenic drive and high trails close · month by month →
- 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 4 day-trips, door to door
- 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Airport-to-bed contracts for LAS, SLC and ELY: last sensible arrival times, fuel stops and overnight rungs.
- Walking cluster for the Baker townsite with verified lodging, store and food hours.
- Place pages with verified cutoffs for Lehman Caves, the Wheeler Peak scenic drive and park campgrounds.
- Dark-sky and hostile-weather fixtures so gates A–D can go green.