GREAT BASIN NATIONAL PARK

scenic region in eastern Nevada, U.S., that was made into a national park in 1986. The area was previously part of the Humboldt National Forest. The park has an area of 121 square miles (313 square km) and consists mainly of the southern part of the Snake Mountains, a north-south-trending chain of peaks that rise abruptly from the surrounding desert floor to reach an elevation of 13,063 feet (3,982 m) at Wheeler Peak. The mountains receive sufficient precipitation to support forest cover, and near Wheeler Peak's summit is the southernmost permanent ice field in the United States. A principal attraction of the park is the Lehman Caves (q.v.), a group of intricate limestone caverns.