Figure 1. Great Basin bristlecone pine on Ramparts Overlook Trail, Cedar Breaks National Monument.
Great Basin bristlecone pine is considered the oldest non-clonal tree in the world. The oldest of this kind lives in the White Mountains in Inyo National Forest and the Snake Range in Great Basin National Park.
Cedar Breaks National Monument is another place to see these trees. The first time I planed in this Monument is in 2009. It was cold, windy and snowing in late May. After a short ranger talk, I gave up because of the weather. It is six years later that I've got the chance to visit the same place. This time the weather cooperated. It was sunny in early September and I made the hike to see these trees up close.
The best examples of the Great Basin bristlecone pines are along Ramparts Overlook Trail in this Monument. Though the round-trip is an easy to moderate 4 miles, you can stop in the middle point, Spectra Point, to get a good look as well. The oldest in this Monument is about 1,700 years old at Spectra Point. Together with others, you can get a good understanding about their living environment, poor soil, dry, cold and windy weather. Their great age comes from adversity.
While they are not the oldest in their kind, the red amphitheater with hoodoos in the backdrop compensates it and makes it even more fascinating. For me, it is quite worth the trip and I am sure to come here again.
Figure 2. Great Basin bristlecone pine at Spectra Point, Cedar Breaks National Monument.
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