Backpack the Baker & Johnson Lakes Loop

Starting from Baker Creek Trailhead at just over 8,000 feet, you'll climb through dense stands of spruce and aspen before the forest thins and the Snake Range opens up around you. The ascent is relentless — expect over 3,000 feet of cumulative gain across the full loop, the kind that makes your pack feel like it's gaining weight by the hour. Baker Lake sits in a glacial cirque beneath the ridgeline, its water impossibly clear and cold, while Johnson Lake occupies its own rocky bowl a few miles farther along the loop. The connecting ridge traverse between the two lakes is the highlight: exposed, windswept, and offering views that stretch into Utah on clear days. Despite being the park's most popular backcountry route, you'll likely share it with a handful of people at most — Great Basin is one of the least-visited parks in the system. This loop is built for backpackers who want genuine wilderness without a permit lottery or a trailhead parking war.