Great Basin National Park

Hike the Big Wash Trail

strenuous Solitude SeekersExperienced HikersBackcountry Navigation
20.6 mi Distance
12-24 hours Estimated Time
Out & Back Trail Type

What to Expect

Big Wash is Great Basin's answer to the question nobody asked: what if you combined a full marathon with route-finding through remote desert terrain? Starting from either Snake Creek or North Fork Lexington Creek, you'll climb nearly four thousand feet through sagebrush flats, pinyon-juniper woodland, and increasingly rugged canyon terrain where the trail sometimes vanishes into the wash itself. The landscape shifts from high desert scrub to limestone formations that feel almost sculptural, culminating near Lexington Arch — a massive natural bridge carved from stone rather than sandstone, making it a genuine geological oddity. Between waypoints, you might not see another soul for hours. The silence out here is almost aggressive. This is a trail for hikers who've done everything else in the park and want to feel genuinely alone in the backcountry — people who navigate by topo map and consider twenty miles a reasonable day.
Solitude SeekersExperienced HikersBackcountry NavigationEndurance ChallengesDesert Landscapes

Safety Advisory

This trail crosses exposed terrain with zero shade for miles at a stretch — afternoon temperatures in July and August regularly push past ninety degrees at the lower elevations, and heat exhaustion is a real risk for anyone underestimating the distance.

The route is poorly marked through several wash sections where flash flooding can obliterate the trail; check weather forecasts obsessively before heading out, and never enter a narrow wash if thunderstorms are building over the Snake Range.

Cell service is nonexistent for the entire route — file a detailed itinerary with someone who will actually call for help if you're overdue, and carry a PLB or satellite communicator.

Trail Details

Distance 20.6 miles round-trip
Difficulty strenuous
Estimated Time 12-24 hours
Trail Type Out & Back
Pets Not allowed
Season Year-round
Trailhead Hike the Big Wash Trail

Pro Tips

Trail Tip

Start from the Snake Creek side if you want the slightly longer but better-marked approach; the North Fork Lexington Creek route shaves off a few miles but the trail becomes faint and demands solid navigation skills through the wash sections.

Trail Tip

Cache water at the midpoint if you're doing this as an out-and-back — there are no reliable water sources along the route in late summer, and you'll burn through three to four liters before you even realize it in that high-desert heat.

Trail Tip

Lexington Arch is the crown jewel of this route — budget at least thirty minutes there to explore the base and catch the way afternoon light turns the limestone gold. Most people drive to it from the south; arriving on foot from the north feels like discovering it yourself.

Photos

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