Great Basin National Park is one of the few areas where you can find the bristlecone pine. A short hike (2.8 miles round trip) with some elevation gain is all it takes to commune with these longed lived trees—many of then thousands of years old. Unlike me, they thrive in harsh weather, dry soil, cold temperatures, and at elevations of up to 11,200 feet. The trunks appear warped and twisted. Their needles are, as their name suggests, form a bristle, much like a bottle brush.
The stand of trees has a nature trail through the forest with informative signs about the trees posted along the way. The trees are amazing. i especially enjoyed looking at the coloration and striation of the wood, the broadness of the trunks, and the twisted shapes.
On the way back we took a short detour to Lake Teresa, a beautiful alpiine lake with no one there. I think most people pass it by to get to the bristlecones.
