Ancient Bristlecone Pines

The oldest, living non-clonal organisms on the planet.

Welcome

California has many superlatives including highest, lowest, deepest, biggest, tallest, largest, hottest, and more; all of which have been scientifically measured and verified.

Many of these ‑ESTs are in the Eastern Sierra and one of most fascinating of them all is the oldest.

The Great Basin Bristlecone Pines are not just the oldest things in California or even North America, they are the oldest living non-clonal organisms on the planet!  

This healthy and growing forest is located high in the White Mountains above Bishop. In summer the trip up to this National Monument is a beautiful, one-hour drive along a good, paved mountain road with stops along the way to take in the stunning views, picnic among the pinyons and pines, or camp in this high altitude region.

These magnificent trees are gnarled, weather-beaten, and resilient. They thrive at between 9,000- and 11,000-feet elevation. The oldest tree, named Methuselah, has a verified age almost 5,000-years old and began life at about the same time humans began to develop the concept of writing. It was almost 500-years old when the pyramids at Giza were built. This tree would have been about 3,000-years old when the English language began to evolve.

Many of the individual trees that live in this forest are over 4,000-years old. The older ones are at least 1,000‑years older than any other species on earth. They are almost 2,000-years older than the nearby Giant Sequoia, which are the world’s biggest trees; and more than 2,000‑years older than the nearby Giant Redwoods, which are the world’s tallest trees. No other non-clonal species has living individuals that come close to the longevity of the Ancient Bristlecone Pines.

Come and see these ancient beings and let your imagination wander down the passage of time and the history of humankind through which these trees have lived.

Did you know they have become known as the trees that rewrote history?

Getting Here

Getting to the  Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest  requires a drive of a little over an hour on a scenic, paved road. It is steep and winding most of the way with spectacular views. There is no gas, food, water, or cell phone service available at the top or along the route.

Before you go, call the White Mountain Ranger station in Bishop for more information, road conditions and visitor center hours  (760) 873-2500 .

From Bishop drive south on US Highway 395 for 15‑miles and turn left onto State Route 168 East. Follow the road for 13‑miles then turn left onto White Mountain Rd. Ten miles further you will arrive at the Schulman Grove Visitor Center.

The Groves

Schulman Grove

A visit to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is a wonderful experience for the whole family. The Schulman Grove Visitor Center is wheelchair accessible and many old trees can be seen from the deck and boardwalks. The trails are easy to moderate hiking, and dogs are permitted when leashed. No bicycles are allowed on the trails.

The rangers and staff at the Schulman Grove Visitor Center present interpretive programs at 11am and 2pm in the summer. Programs are presented on weekends during spring and fall, weather permitting.

Named in honor of Edmund Schulman, the  Schulman Grove Visitor Center  is open annually from mid-May through November, weather permitting.

Patriarch Grove

Beyond the Schulman Grove Visitor Center, White Mountain Rd continues unpaved for 13-miles to reach the higher elevation  Patriarch Grove  where the biggest of the ancient bristlecones, the Patriarch, lives. The area has two short loop trails of less than a mile each with interpretive signage along the way and a vault toilet.

The road to this grove is maintained, but it can be slow and difficult going for a light passenger car. It is recommended that visitors drive this section in an SUV or high clearance vehicle. Motorhomes are not recommended on this road.

Have a full tank of gas before leaving the Owens Valley below. As always, when venturing into the mountains, bring plenty of water, snacks, sun screen, and layers of clothing.

The Trails

The trails that weave through this ancient forest present opportunities for short walks, longer hikes, and spectacular views. Visitors say they feel a sense of awe and peace when they walk the trails that weave through the groves of old and young bristlecones. The views out across the Owens Valley to the west and the Great Basin of Nevada to the east offer a perspective that cannot be seen anywhere else.

Discovery Trail

  • Start: Schulman Visitor Center
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Distance: 1-mile, loop
  • Duration: 1-hour
  • Elevation gain: 360’

From the  Schulman Grove Visitor Center , at 9,846 feet above sea level, the Discovery Trail, a short trail of just less than a mile weaves through the Schulman grove. It has some steps as it climbs among trees that cling to the hillside.

Views westward toward the Sierra Nevada are spectacular from this trail.

The Cabin Trail

  • Start: Schulman Visitor Center
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Distance: 1-mile, out and back
  • Duration: 1/2-hour
  • Elevation gain: 186’

The Cabin trail, is a 1-mile out and back trail from the visitor center to the old mining cabin and tailings on the hillside.

Methuselah Trail

  • Start: Schulman Visitor Center
  • Difficulty: Strenuous
  • Distance: 4 – 5 miles, loop
  • Duration: 2 – 3 hours
  • Elevation gain: 830’ – 1,200’

The hike along the Methuselah trail (4‑miles) goes deep into this ancient forest. Methuselah is unmarked to protect its identity. The trail begins and ends at the east end of the boardwalk that runs in front of the visitor center. Connect the Cabin trail for a larger loop of 5‑miles, where remnants of mining that took place here are still visible.

Patriarch Trail

  • Start: Patriarch Grove parking area
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Distance: 0.4-mile, loop
  • Duration: less than 1/2-hour
  • Elevation gain: 104’

This short loop trail begins near the Patriarch Tree, the largest of the Ancient Bristlecones. Find solitude and spectacular beauty among the world's oldest beings here.

Cottonwood Overlook Trail

  • Start: Patriarch Grove parking area
  • Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
  • Distance: 0.5-mile, loop
  • Duration: 1/2-hour
  • Elevation gain: 184'

Beginning near the Patriarch tree, the largest of the ancient bristlecones, this trail cuts across the bare dolomite of this rugged mountain top and into a grove of bristlecones.

Although the trail is short it can feel strenuous due to the high altitude at over 11,400-feet here.

The Discovery

Click on image to read a Biographical Portrait of Edmund Schulman

Edmund Schulman, a researcher in the field of dendrochronology (the science of tree ring dating) discovered these ancient life forms in 1953 and focused his studies on the trees that were 3,000‑ to 4,000-years old! After four years of extensive research his findings were reported in National Geographic and worldwide attention was brought to the White Mountains.

Sadly, Schulman died of a heart attack in 1958 shortly before his article was published and just prior to the establishment of the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest by the US Forest Service – protecting the species for generations to come.

His findings and research greatly influenced the study of dendrochronology, which continues to advance today through the protection and study of these trees. The bristlecone chronologies raised questions relating to the widely respected field of radiocarbon dating (C-14) methods and have subsequently been used to recalibrate the C-14 process.

The Environment

The  Great Basin Bristlecone Pine (Pinus longaeva)  grows between 9,000‑ and 11,000‑feet above sea level in a habitat that is essentially inhospitable to most other life. The white, rocky soil, for which the White Mountain range is named, is dolomite – a type of limestone with a very high alkalinity. At this elevation, temperatures range from around 55‑deg F in summer to 0‑deg F in winter.

Precipitation, which is mainly in the form of snow, produces less than 0‑inches of water annually on this cold, dry, windswept mountain top. The altitude and latitude here provide one positive growing aspect – almost 16‑hours of daylight in summer and as much as 9.5‑hours in winter.

It is a very challenging growing environment. The ancient bristlecone pines have adapted to the soil alkalinity and have developed a low need for nutrients and moisture, and a high need for light. They have become tolerant to extreme conditions and can withstand gale-force winds. This has given them the ability to grow in a near competition-free environment. The lack of surrounding ground vegetation also reduces the risk of fire. And, it has put them in a position to live in a near fungi- and pest-free ecosystem.

Scientists have taken core samples and studied the dead and downed trees that can remain intact in this cold, dry climate for thousands of years. Scientists have reconstructed a nearly 10,000‑year‑old timeline of tree growth by matching the ring patterns of living and dead trees.

The mountains where these ancients live are rugged, steep, and largely inaccessible to humans. So, these trees have lived almost undisturbed for 5 millennia.

This is the reason these trees are said to have rewritten history!

Cycling. OHVing. Camping.

Cycling up to the visitor center is a popular road bike ride for experienced cyclists. It’s commonly ranked as one of the top 5 most difficult climbs in California. It’s also widely regarded as a very beautiful, quiet, and safe ride. Traffic is light and the road surface is very good.

Silver Canyon OHV Route

For the equally adventurous, but more mechanized folk, the OHV drive up Silver Canyon Rd is another way to reach these ancient trees. This route begins just 5-miles north of Bishop off US Highway 6 near Laws Railroad Museum. This steep, rugged road requires a low range, 4-wheel drive, high clearance vehicle with an experienced OHV driver at the wheel. It’s also accessible on a side-by-side or quad. This route offers fantastic views and some technically challenging driving. From the junction of Highway 6 to the junction of White Mountain Rd is 11.5-miles and will take close to an hour to drive. Turn right to reach Schulman Grove, 3-miles south, or turn left to get to the Patriarch Grove, 10-miles the north.

Motorcycles are another way great way to get up here. The paved road option is well suited to sport, cruiser, and touring motorcycles. The OHV road should be tackled on a good dirt bike.

Camping nearby in  Grandview campground  is an excellent way to spend a few days during the warmer, summer months. There are 23 campsites, available on a first-come-first-served basis, spaced well apart with plenty of shade. Each campsite has a table, fire ring, and space for two vehicles. Three vault toilets serve the campground. Please review all the rules and regulations and pack out everything you pack in.

 Night sky viewing  is superb from this campground. The elevation at 8,600‑feet and lack of light pollution make the stars and Milky Way an incredible spectacle in summer.

Important Notes

If anyone in your group complains of a headache, dizziness, nausea or appears to be disoriented leave the area immediately and return to a lower elevation. The symptoms should ease significantly within a short period of time, but if symptoms persist, head to the Emergency Room at the Northern Inyo Hospital.

Drivers of all types of vehicles should use low gears when descending down the mountain. Use brakes intermittently. All road users must obey speed limits and posted signage, as well as mandated vehicle and driver regulations. Stay in your lane at all times as there are many blind corners. Be aware of slow-moving vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and animals.

Links & Things

The fauna and flora that can be seen in the area are:

Trees Single-leaf Pinyon Pine Utah Juniper Limber Pine Bristlecone Pine

Flowers Apricot Mallow Brittlebush Prickly Poppy Rabbitbrush

Wildlife Clark’s Nutcracker Mountain Bluebird Black-tailed Jackrabbit Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel

It is likely that these trees will continue to live their Spartan existence for eons to come and are considered neither threatened nor endangered. Notwithstanding that fact, the species is on the  International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) red list , as yet labeled ‘Least Concern’.


For more about Bishop, the Eastern Sierra, and the many spectacular natural and cultural wonders to be seen here, visit our website at  https://bishopvisitor.com/  and come into our Information Center in downtown Bishop at 690 N. Main Street.

Bishop Information Center, 690 N. Main St., Bishop, CA 93514

© 2023 Bishop Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center

Page written & created by

Gigi de Jong

Photography

Attribution provided on each image

Bishop Information Center, 690 N. Main St., Bishop, CA 93514