Parking
Use the Summit Trailhead Parking Area near the end of Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. The paved road has an 8% grade; vehicles longer than 24 feet are not permitted beyond Upper Lehman Creek Campground. The drive closes seasonally in winter.
Overview
About Stella Lake via Wheeler Peak Trailhead
Why go
- A high-country lake and Wheeler Peak view for a modest climb.
- Much of the approach is shaded, with mountain views through openings.
Heads up
- The 10,000-foot start can feel strenuous to visitors arriving from lower elevations.
- Seasonal closure of Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive limits access to this trailhead.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Great Basin map
Full mapElevation10,246–10,482 ft
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
4 active Great Basin alerts
- CautionStage II fire restrictions prohibit outdoor fires and smokingStage II fire restrictions are active throughout Great Basin National Park because of extreme fire danger. - Do not use campfires, charcoal grills, or smoke outdoors anywhere in the park.Official details
- CautionPotable water is unavailable at park campgroundsPotable water is currently unavailable in every Great Basin National Park campground; bring sufficient water or fill containers before settling in.Official details
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Great Basin Tour Guide
Your drive to Stella Lake via Wheeler Peak Trailhead, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Great Basin National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
Recorded for this trailhead
Wheeler Peak Summit Trailhead: A Full Hiking Day0:00 / 0:26
“Wheeler Peak Summit Trailhead is coming up, for a strenuous climb to wide views across the surrounding basins.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Great Basin Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Bristlecone Trailhead: The Grove Walk
- Wheeler Peak Overlook: Find the Rock Glacier
- Mountains Pulled Apart
- Mather Overlook: Match the Map to the Mountain
- 36 audio storiesacross Great Basin’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Elk, Mule Deer, Wild Turkey, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 29 trails, 29 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Stella Lake via Wheeler Peak Trailhead
A short walk beneath Wheeler PeakStella Lake via Wheeler Peak Trailhead is a 2.
Stella Lake via Wheeler Peak Trailhead is a 2.5-mile out-and-back to Stella Lake beneath Wheeler Peak. The route follows a mostly shaded, gently rolling path through pine and aspen before a short descent to the water. Allow about 1 to 1½ hours; the route gains roughly 250 feet. It is easy by distance and grade, though the high start can make it feel harder than the mileage suggests.
Take the lake branchStart at Wheeler Peak Summit Trailhead and follow the signed path to the junction.
Start at Wheeler Peak Summit Trailhead and follow the signed path to the junction. Stay with the Stella Lake and Alpine Lakes signs instead of continuing toward the summit. At the lake, turn around and retrace the same route. This is a separate outing from the 2.7-mile Alpine Lakes Loop at Bristlecone Trailhead, which continues on to Teresa Lake. From Stella's shore, frame the water with Wheeler Peak rising behind it.
Plan for the elevationThe trailhead is at about 10,160 feet.
The trailhead is at about 10,160 feet. Altitude illness and afternoon thunderstorms are real concerns at this height; carry water and salty snacks, take the first stretch easily, and turn back if you feel unwell or storms approach. There is no potable water along Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. Great Basin National Park does not allow pets on park trails, apart from trained service animals.
Getting to the startThe trail begins at the Summit Trailhead Parking Area near the top of the paved Wheeler Peak…
The trail begins at the Summit Trailhead Parking Area near the top of the paved Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive. The road has an 8% grade, and vehicles longer than 24 feet cannot continue past Upper Lehman Creek Campground. The drive closes in winter, cutting off this trailhead by vehicle; check current road access before making the trip.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Great Basin
22 sightingsElkMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
237 sightingsMule DeerMost seen around 6 AMSighting map
185 sightingsWild TurkeyMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
22 sightingsRattlesnakeMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
23 sightingsDusky GrouseMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
18 sightingsThree-toed WoodpeckerMost seen around 8 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Great Basin. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
