Our Partners

Great Basin Heritage Area Partnership

In 1998, citizens of Millard County, Utah; White Pine County, Nevada; the Duckwater Shoshone Reservation; and the Ely Shoshone Reservation came together to form the Great Basin Heritage Area Partnership. This grass roots, non-profit organization works to preserve the heritage of the central Great Basin, an area with stories of national significance. Designation of the central Great Basin as a National Heritage Area has been the goal of the group since its inception.

One of the missions of Great Basin National Park is to interpret the resources of both the park and the entire Great Basin region. The Great Basin Heritage Area Partnership will work with the park to coordinate efforts to preserve the heritage and tell the stories of the Great Basin.

To learn more, visit the Partnership's website: www.greatbasinheritage.org.

Great Basin National Park Foundation

Another invaluable partner, the Great Basin National Park Foundation was established and incorporated in 1998 under the laws of the State of Nevada. Its purpose is to raise funds for Great Basin National Park and the National Park Service in order to achieve the park's mission. Bonnie Bryan, wife of Senator Richard H. Bryan of Nevada, served as the Founding Chairperson. The Foundation is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. To date, the Foundation has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and has been able to support the park in several projects, including increasing access to park trails, recording and transcribing oral histories, and funding exhibits for the new Great Basin Visitor Center in Baker, Nevada.

In 2007, the Foundation developed a Strategic Plan that established the following vision:

• Every person who enters into the Great Basin and passes through the region will know where they have been and will understand conceptually what the Great Basin is.
• Future generations will enjoy wide open landscapes, clean air, dark night skies, vigorous and diverse native ecosystems, and thriving local cultures. The Great Basin is enjoyed for its space, silence, and solitude and given protection on par with its diverse and unique natural and cultural resources.
• Great Basin National Park will be a recognized jewel of the National Park system, with ample opportunities for volunteering and citizen involvement, healthy and sustainable native ecosystems, improved visitor facilities, and an expanded access to more remote areas of the park and its spectacular backcountry.
• Knowledge and appreciation of the Great Basin’s natural and cultural resources – including, but not limited to the park– will be integrated in a cross-disciplinary approach into Nevada and Utah’s elementary and high school curriculums.
• Increased interest in the park and the region will support the tourism industry and tourism infrastructure will improve in Baker and other local communities, offering visitors more and better options and improving their overall Great Basin experience.

The Foundation is currently working on several projects in support of the park, including “greening” the park’s vehicle fleet and developing education and internship programs in partnership with area universities.

To learn more about the Foundation, current projects, and opportunities for making financial or in-kind contributions, visit the Foundation's website: www.greatbasinfoundation.org.

Southern Nevada Grotto

The Southern Nevada Grotto (SNG) was established in 1968 and has been an active member of the National Speleological Society. The grotto is a non-profit caving organization, based in Las Vegas, dedicated to the preservation and conservation of caves in Southern Nevada and the Southwest. Since May 2003, the group has been conducting a survey of Lehman Caves, using the information to produce an updated cave map. The new map will contain detailed measurements of the cave, and feature all structures such as trails, handrails, and lighting.

For more information about the group, check out their Facebook page.

The Fund for People in Parks

The Fund for People in Parks was established in 2014 to provide financial assistance and professional services to complete inspirational projects that enhance the visitor experience in western National Parks. The Fund works closely with park staff and the Great Basin National Park Foundation to bring private philanthropic support to projects that might not otherwise be funded. As of 2021, the Fund has provided grants for five projects in Great Basin, including a visitor center exhibit about the popular "Forgotten Winchester" rifle, a new telescope for night sky viewing, new educational signs on the Bristlecone Trail, and a new map and educational signs at Mather Overlook.