Wheeler Peak Glacier in the Great Basin National Park is the last surviving glacier in Nevada. It is such a rare sight, especially in the deserts of the southwest. So, if you can only do 1 hike in the Great Basin National Park in Nevada, you must do the Bristlecone to Glacier trail. On this trail, not only do you get to see the ancient pines in Bristlecone Pine grove, some of which are as old as 5200 years, but you can also see the last surviving glacier in Nevada.
If you just want to get to the Bristlecone Pine Grove, the trail is 2.8 miles round-trip with about 600 ft in elevation gain. If you want to go to the glacier, it is 4.8 miles round trip with 1,040 feet of gain. Even though it is rated moderate, the Bristlecone to Glacier Trail is steep. It is more difficult due to the altitude. The trailhead starts at almost 10,000 ft. So, if you’re not used to the high altitude, you might experience altitude sickness. Please make sure you’re prepared for it.
Bristlecone Trailhead
Bristlecone Parking Area, Baker, NV 89311
39.010127, -114.307111
Decent-sized paved lot across the street from the trailhead.
It is FREE to enter the Great Basin National Park.
Vault toilet at the trailhead.
– 1.4 miles to the pines
– 2.5 miles for the glacier
– 600 feet to the Bristlecone Grove
– 1,100 feet to the glacier
Easy to Moderate. The trail is steep and starts at high altitude.
Takes average 2-4 hours
Leave your pet at home. They are not allowed on the trail!
Summer and early fall are the best times to do this trail. Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive, the only access road to this trail head, is closed for the winter, usually from November to May.
The trailhead for the Bristlecone to Glacier Trail is located at the end of the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. It shares the same trailhead with the Alpine Lakes Loop. In fact, you can loop the Alpine Lakes Loop together with the Glacier Trail for a much longer and more fun hike. There is a big paved parking lot across from the trailhead.
Before you get confused, on the map at the trailhead, Bristlecone and Glacier are listed as 2 different trails. They are, and they are not. Bristlecone Trail starts from the trailhead at ends at the Bristlecone Pine Grove. From here, the trail turns into Glacier Trail, which takes you to the glacier. By the way, make sure to keep an eye on the weather. Since it is so high up, this area is prone to afternoon thunderstorms.
After leaving the trailhead for the Bristlecone Trail, we encountered our first junction as soon as we crossed over a small stream. We followed this junction to the right toward Bristlecone and Alpine Lakes Loop. This trail is very well-marked, so you won’t get lost. At about 0.1 mile, we came to the second junction. Here, if you go right, you can turn this trail into a longer loop by going to the alpine lakes first. Going straight (or left) will keep you straight to the Bristlecone Pine Grove
This 0.5-mile section is part of the Alpine Lakes Loop Trail. The trail climbs as it weaves through a pine forest and crosses over a stream. After 0.6 miles, we reached the third junction. From here, the Alpine Lakes Loop turns into the Bristlecone Trail if you go straight. From this junction, it is another 0.7 miles before getting to the Bristlecone Pine Grove and 1.65 miles to the glacier.
The Bristlecone Trail follows a rocky gully with a scree slope. It then traverses along a hillside with glimpses of the beautiful landscape and peaks. This trail is a lot steeper and more strenuous than the Alpine Lakes Loop. However, it is also more beautiful. It’s okay to take a lot of breaks, especially when you’re acclimating to the high altitude. We lost count of how many breaks we took.
As we climbed higher, the view also became more beautiful. We also got our first glimpse of the Bristlecone pines. These gnarled ancient trees dotted along the rocky trail as it crossed over an open, boulder-strewn streambed. Once we reached 0.7 miles, we came to a green wooden bench with a big informational sign next to it.
From here, there is a very short (0.1 mile) detour to the left. This short detour is an interpretive loop with signage with very interesting information about these bristlecone pines. It’s fascinating to learn more about these oldest trees in the world, especially since we got to know about them when we did our hike at the Ancient Bristlecone Forest in California. We highly recommend taking your time to meander through this majestic grove. These ancient trees here are as old as 5200 years. This Bristlecone Pine Grove is by far the most accessible of the three bristlecone pine groups in the park. This grove extends far beyond this short loop. It was home to the Prometheus Tree, the oldest non-clonal organism on earth, when it was cut down in 1964. It was before the park was established in 1986.
After finishing checking out the Bristlecone Pine Grove, you have the option of turning back or continuing further to the glacier. The trail will become steeper and rockier. However, we think it’s worth it. Once leave the grove, the Bristlecone Trail turns into Glacier Trail. It also cuts through a rocky section full of boulders. As we climbed higher, the trees were also thinning out. The the Glacier Trail soon turns into a stark landscape with big boulders and occasional snow piles.
About 0.2 miles from the Bristlecone Pine Grove, we reached the Glacier Sign Board. From here, you’ll get the first glimpse of the glacier, tucked away between the folds in the distance. This spot is a good place to see the glacier. This is also a perfect place to turn back. From here, the rest of the trail is very rocky and steep, and it doesn’t quite reach the bottom of the glacier.
After leaving the Glacier Sign Board, we continued our way to climb up the rocky trail, cutting through the middle of the boulder field. The trail also becomes less defined. That being said, we had no problem finding our way. The scenery here is very beautiful. The glacier and the trail are tucked in between dramatic, rugged cliffs, rising from all 3 sides. From here, we could see the summits of Wheeler Peak and Jeff Davis Peak.
It was interesting to learn that the permanent snowfield below Wheeler Peak is usually regarded as a rock glacier instead of a true glacier. This is because there are more rocks here in relation to ice, a trait only apparent in later summer, once all snow covering has melted.
The trail goes up and down and zigzags through the rock glacier. It then ends right at the bottom of a hill, underneath the ice. There is no signage here, but you’ll know when you reach the end. If you really want to, we guess you could try to climb up the hill. However, the park is advised against going off-trail. These boulders are very unstable. By going off-trail, you could cause an avalanche. You can return the same way you came from.
If you love hikes like this, you’ll love the Mammoth Lakes area. Some of our favourite hikes there are Duck Lake, Valentine Lake, Sky Meadow, Crystal Lake, and Rainbow Falls. Another one is in Mist Falls in Kings Canyon National Park, or Badger Valley to Grand Lake Loop in Olympic National Park
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These are the gear that we personally use and find helpful for this particular adventure. Don’t forget to check out our Recommended Gear section as well.
Our favorite biodegradable, eco-friendly, reef-safe sunscreen!
This is Vy's favorite hiking bag! It has tons of room for snacks and water!
It's always good to bring a GPS tracker with you. We use the Garmin inReach.
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
This jacket is packable into a super small and light little ball. Perfect for when you just need a little…
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
Our favorite hiking/travel jacket. It's warm and packable, perfect to bring on a hike or a road trip.
If you tend to have foot blisters on hikes, get this! We use this all the time.
These hiking poles are sturdy, and great to help keep your balance on short or longer hikes
Compact GoPro pole that extends to 25", perfect to bring on your adventure.
This is our go-to camera for all of our adventures. It comes with us everywhere!
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Hi! We are Dustin & Vy, the proud creators of Live That Adventure. We created this website because we wanted to inspire others to live their lives to the fullest. On here, you’ll find everything from hiking, canyoneering, kayaking, and snorkeling to adventure and travel tips, gear reviews, and bucket list items such as bungee jumping or wing walking. We’ll show you the ropes so you can do them too!
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