Rock Glacier Trail

This hike is a great choice for anyone looking to get a taste of the higher elevations in Great Basin National Park. The trailhead begins at the end of the Bristlecone Pine Trail, so doing these two trails together is highly recommended. Hiking to Rock Glacier is a much more difficult trail to traverse than Bristlecone, but it is worth the time and effort as you can get a close look at the only glacier in Nevada.

The trail is very rocky and can be hard to follow at times as you cross some small snow fields, which is easy to do in regular hiking shoes. About halfway through the hike you'll see a sign explaining how the glacier formed and its impact on the area. Though it looks like the end of the hike, look for the trail behind the sign and continue onward.

The hike ends at a small sign notifying you that you've reached Rock Glacier. However, if you're feeling adventurous, you can continue on by hiking/scrambling though a boulder field and a large snow patch to reach the glacier that is nestled under Wheeler Peak. There is no trail at this point, so you must be comfortable navigating through the boulder field on your own, which is simple to do as you never lose sight of your destination.