California Trail - Great Basin

No Outlet to the Sea

Encompassing the entire state of Nevada, and much of Utah, Idaho, and Oregon, the Great Basin is an arid, mountainous area in the western United States, between the Rocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevada Range. It consists of a series of mountain ranges in Nevada including the East Humboldt, Ruby, and White Mountains. The basin itself is a series of watersheds with no outlet to the sea or to a river that flows to the sea. Any precipitation that falls evaporates, seeps into ground, or forms playas, short lived lakes that eventually evaporate. Great Basin National Park also features ancient bristlecone pines. One tree, cut down in 1964, was found to be nearly 5,000 years old, making it the oldest tree ever known.

Next Stop: The Sierra Nevada Range