Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest

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Located around 10,000 feet up in the White Mountains, the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is one of the most unique ecosystems on the planet. Somehow the Bristlecone Pine manages to thrive in this inhospitable environment. These unique trees are the longest-living single organisms on the planet (we won’t go into the oddities of self-cloning plants), with many clocking in at around 4000 year. Stop by the Schulman Grove Visitor Center to learn more about these tremendous trees before setting out on one of the hiking trails to see them for yourself. The Methuselah Grove 4.5-mile loop is especially popular - not only does it pass the nearly 5,000-year-old “Methuselah” pine, but also has amazing views across Nevada's basin-and-range region. If you’re pining for more Bristlecones, add additional time to your stop to make the 12 mile drive north to the Patriarch Grove, where you'll find the world's largest bristlecone pine. Generally the park is open from mid-May through the end of November. For more information, please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=21134&actid=50