Alpine Lakes Loop - Great Basin National Park

Overview

( Rated 4.0 / 1 Ratings )

0 Todo Lists / 0 Ticks

RATING: Easy Hike

LENGTH: 1-2 hours

MAPS: WINDY PEAK, NV

SEASON: Summer, Fall

GEAR: Standard Hiking Gear

WATER: Bring all you need.

Terea Lake

If you are looking for maximum high-country scenery with a moderate effort, the Alpine Lakes Trail is difficult to beat. With only about 450 feet of elevation gain, it's one of the best family-friendly options for experiencing the park’s high-altitude backcountry without requiring too much effort.

We visited this loop on our return from the Glacier Trail. If you are doing the Glacier Trail as well, it is easy to combine both. The two lakes, are tucked below the cliffs of Wheeler Peak and picturesque. It is a beautiful trail!

Tip: Hike the loop counter-clockwise by heading toward Stella Lake first. This gives you open views of Wheeler Peak reflected in the water as you approach the shoreline and saves the shady forest stroll past Teresa Lake for the second half.

Naming History:

Stella Lake gets its name from Estella "Stella" Mathilda Ruby Gandy. Her family settled in Snake Valley in the late 19th century, and local lore holds that she was the first non-Native woman to reach this alpine lake.

Teresa Lake honors Teresa, another early settler and member of the ranching communities surrounding nearby Baker and Garrison. This was sometimes spelled Theresa on older maps.

Stella Lake and Wheeler Peak in the background

Getting There

The trailhead is the Bristlecone Trailhead at the end of the Scenic Drive in Great Basin National Park. To get there, from downtown Baker, Nevada, head west on Lehman Cave Road (signed for Great Basin National Park) for about 4.8 miles, where you will turn right to follow the Scenic Drive up past the Lehman Creek campgrounds. This junction is right after entering Great Basin National Park.

Follow the scenic drive to its end in about 12 miles. Just before the Wheeler Peak Campground, there is a large parking area on the left that is the trailhead.

Parking Note: The trailhead is the start of several trails and also in a very scenic spot. It gets BUSY and can fill up early in the day. I would recommend an early start if visiting on a weekend or holiday.

Seasonal Note: The road to the trailhead is closed in the winter just above Upper Lehman Creek Campground. It is open to vehicles typically from late May or early June through late October depending on snowfall. Some people ski or snowshoe the road in the winter.

The stream feeding Teresa Lake

Route Description

From the parking area, cross the scenic drive to the trailhead across the road. It has a large sign and is just before entering the campground.

Follow the trail just a few minutes to a junction. Left goes to the short Sky Forest ADA trail. Stay straight instead.

In just a few minutes more, the first Alpine Lakes trail junction is reached. This is the start of the loop. I recommend doing it counterclockwise, so go right here.

The trail climbs a fair bit, initially in the trees, but then with more open views of Wheeler Peak to the south. A junction is reached. The side trail (going right) goes to the Wheeler Peak Trailhead. Stay left. Just a few minutes more is a second junction. Stay left here as well; right is the Wheeler Peak trail that climbs steeply to the summit of Wheeler Peak.

Stella Lake is just a few minutes after the Wheeler Peak Trail junction. Of the two lakes, it is the bigger and, to my eye, the most scenic. If planning a break, this is the lake I would take it at.

From Stella, the trail heads south and west, descending to Teresa Lake. This is a smaller lake, more surrounded by trees.

Continuing a few minutes past Terea, the Glacier Trail junction is reached. Go left here to head back to the trailhead.