Lehman Caves Road
Lehman Caves Road is a State Scenic Byway in Nevada. Within Nevada it covers roughly 17 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Lehman Caves Road with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
Lehman Caves Road, Nevada State Route 488, climbs 12 paved miles into Great Basin National Park, gaining nearly 3,500 feet on its way to the Lehman Caves Visitor Center. Designated a Nevada Scenic Byway on March 27, 2000, alongside the connecting Baker Road (SR 487), it ends about half a mile past the park boundary. The drive crosses open desert at the edge of the Snake Valley before entering forested slopes and ending near almost 10,000 feet, with trailheads branching off toward Lexington Arch, Stella and Teresa Lakes, and Wheeler Peak Glacier, one of the few glaciers remaining in the Great Basin. Along the way, an exhibit on the area's ranching history and the historic Lehman Orchard and Aqueduct add a human layer to the geological one. Snow closes the upper road from roughly November through May, though the caves and the park's lower elevations stay open year-round.
- 12 miles into Great Basin National Park
- Nevada Scenic Byway since March 2000
- Climbs to nearly 10,000 feet
- Lehman Caves Visitor Center
- Wheeler Peak Glacier & Lexington Arch access
- Closed by snow, roughly November-May
Plan a drive on Lehman Caves Road →
What is a State Scenic Byway?
State Scenic Byways are roads a state has formally recognized for their scenic, natural, historic or cultural value — each state's own curated collection of drives worth taking slowly.
Where to Stay along Lehman Caves Road
5 campgrounds and RV parks sit within about 5 miles of Lehman Caves Road.
Campsite and lodging links are affiliate links — booking through them may earn Road Sorties a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Recreation.gov links are not affiliate links.