{"id":2051,"date":"2022-06-10T22:07:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-11T02:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/steveandmarleneontheroad.com\/?p=2051"},"modified":"2023-05-19T20:44:03","modified_gmt":"2023-05-20T00:44:03","slug":"june-10-2022-trip-6-day-28-great-basin-national-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/steveandmarleneontheroad.com\/?p=2051","title":{"rendered":"June 10, 2022 : Trip 6, Day 28 – Great Basin National Park"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Yesterday we were told we would drive he loneliest highway in America. At the time it seemed like hype. Today we learned it may be a true statement. As we began our trek across the “loneliest highway,” a sign outside of Milford, Utah warned “No Services” for 89 miles. Here is a stretch of road from the beginning of the trip. The road is very straight, and disappears into the distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Twenty miles later we had seen no vehicles on the road. It appeared that cows used the road more often than people do (they are not fenced in.) I should clarify that we did see two vehicles. One was a camper van parked far off the road. Another was a semi driving down a very long dirt road to a huge compound of some kind on the north side of the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We traveled more than 50 miles before we saw another vehicle traveling on the road. I had been checking the rearview mirror regularly. No one was following us that we could see. Over the last 40 miles, it mostly looked like this stretch of road. Empty! The final count of vehicles was under ten. Most of those were as we approached the town of Baker Utah at the 83 mile mark. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Life Magazine dubbed US 50 in Nevada the loneliest highway in America in 1986. I do not think they traveled Route 21 from Milford Utah to Baker Nevada. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In spite of the long empty road we drove, we arrived safely at Great Basin National Park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Our first activity at Great Basin was the 8:30 tour of Lehman Cave. We had 17 other adventurous people and our guide Sam. She was a very good tour guide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One of the first things Sam did after we were in the cave was turn off the lights. Caves are really dark. We took a lot of pictures. Many of them look like we took them while Sam had the lights off!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is one of the pictures that actually showed something. It had a spooky look like some monster hanging from the top of the cave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In a cave where it is so dark, it is amazing to see so many colors. Sam explained that some of the colors are a natural result of the cave bios. She also pointed out that some of the colors are the result of things people have done in the cave.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr. Lehman rediscovered the cave in 1885. He turned it into a business. He charged for tours. He had no rules about protecting the cave. In one room near the end of where he had the tours go, people would burn their initials into the top of the cave with their lanterns or with a candle. The carbon they left has become a food source for bacteria that people carry in with them. The top of the cave in that room is now like Halloween with black initials and orange bacteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The green below is algae that grows in the damp and uses the light from the lamps on the path.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This photo is one we got in an area that had intricate stalactites and stalagmites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One unusual feature of Lehman Caves are structures called cave shields. The rounded formations are more numerous in Lehman Caves than anywhere else. No one is sure how or why they form. They have an intricate pattern of pathways for water to flow through them. It is estimated that there are 500 cave shields in Lehman Caves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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After the cave tour, we drove up to Wheeler Campground. Up means to 10,000 feet of elevation. You can get quite a view from 10,000 feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The drive was 12 miles.to the campground. It was long and steep and fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We hiked the Alpine Lakes Trail. It was not as long as the drive. At times, it seemed much steeper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The trail goes by two lakes. We first came to Teresa Lake. It is filled by snow melt. The water is unbelievably clear. You could see the entire bottom of the lake from almost any place on the shore. The lakes are at 10250 feet above sea level. Breathing is a little different there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The other lake is Stella Lake. It has a much different look. Both are near the tree line, Stella Lake abuts the beginning of the rocky tundra part of the mountain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Both lakes feed streams with snow melt. The streams were very full today. Here is a photo that shows a stream on a straight run down the mountain.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Great Basin National Park is the most western part of our trip. Shortly after we left Great Basin, we arrived at this intersection. This right turn was our turn east toward home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Our trip east began on route 50, the one Life Magazine chose as the loneliest road in America. It looks similar to the road we drove earlier today. We even saw a sign that said no services for 85 miles. The big difference was we saw lots and lots of cars. The morning drive was much lonelier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We also saw some fabulous scenery on Route 50.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The most unusual sight we saw was the dry lake bed of Sevier Lake near Delta Utah. From time to time it may hold some water, but it has been mostly dry throughout recorded history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In spite of dry lakes and lonely roads, we had a great day today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday we were told we would drive he loneliest highway in America. At the time it seemed like hype. Today we learned it may be a true statement. As we began our trek across the “loneliest highway,” a sign outside of Milford, Utah warned “No Services” for 89 miles. Here is a stretch of road 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