This easy 1.5 mile (one way) trail has an elevation change of about 515 ft. It leads hikers past a glacial till and a view of the aptly named Brown Lake before arriving at a grove of ancient Bristlecone Pine trees. There are also some nice views of Wheeler Peak from the trail.
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| Topographical Map (blue = Bristlecone Trail; green = Alpine Lakes Trail) |
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| Graph of Elevation |
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| Trail in Google Earth (blue = Bristlecone Trail; green = Alpine Lakes Trail) |
The trail head is actually found just up from the parking area after passing the nature trail. To stay on the Bristlecone Trail, stay left where it turns off from the Alpine Lakes Loop Trail (shown in green on the maps above). Once hikers reach the Bristlecone Pines, the trail makes a small loop through the grove. There are interpretive signs here labeling trees and explaining their characteristics. At the far end of this loop, the Glacier Trail (not shown) continues up the mountain for about another mile to the only glacier found in Nevada.
If you are not already planning to hike the full Alpine Lakes Loop Trail, it is well worth it to see the beautiful Teresa Lake before returning to your vehicle. You can get there by following the Alpine Lakes Loop trail as shown in green on the maps above. This will only add 0.2 mile to your hike with an extra 44 ft. elevation change. (Please note that the elevation graph shown above is only for the Bristlecone Trail and does not include Teresa Lake.)
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| Teresa Lake |
Please beware that pets are not permitted on these trails.
Directions
This hike is located in Great Basin National Park in Nevada. From US-50, turn onto NV-487. Continue for just under five miles then turn right onto NV-488. After almost another five miles, turn right onto Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. Continue to the end of this road right before entering the campground. There is a parking lot here from which you can access the trails in this area. The trails are well marked and well maintained.
