On our journey to Utah from California a sanity stop was required.  The journey on highway 50, at times, is uneventful.  Open range and flatland for hours and hours makes Great Basin National Park a virtual oasis in the middle of nowhere.

Great Basin National Park is still in Nevada almost to Utah near the town of Baker.  The park gets its name from the dry region it is located in.  The park and the area in general is known for its bristlecone pines, some of which are more than 5,000 years old making them the oldest living organism.  While these trees aren’t as glorious and beautiful as our tall redwoods or a weeping willow or even a Japanese Maple they make up for it in sheer persistence.  If they could only tell stories of what they have lived through…

Great Basin National Park is also known for its cave systems.  I visited Lehman Cave and managed a tour during our short visit before we embarked on the final part of our journey for the day.  The cave is 550 million years old and is made of marble and limestone.  The caves are well worth a visit and display beautifully.

Lastly, the Great Basin National Park boasts as being one of the darkest places on earth.  There is literally nothing around for miles and miles and miles and I can certainly see why they are proud of this distinction.