The oldest Great Basin bristlecone pine tree is located somewhere in California, but its exact location is a secret
The oldest tree species is the bristlecone pine (Pinus longaeva).
The oldest tree of this species is called Methuselah and is over 4,800 years old.
The longevity of the Great Basin bristlecone pine can be attributed to factors such as the species’ ability to withstand a variety of weather conditions, including high winds, snow and rain. Its unique, twisted shape is due to the tree’s adaptation to these types of extreme weather, the National Park Service website states.
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Learn more about the Great Basin bristlecone pine and the oldest tree of its kind below.
- How old is the Great Basin bristlecone pine?
- Where can I find the Great Basin bristlecone pine?
- Who discovered the oldest bristlecone pine in the Great Basin?
1. How old is the Great Basin bristlecone pine?
The oldest bristlecone pine in the Great Basin is called Methuselah.
There are different sources about the exact age of the oldest tree. Guinness World Records states that the tree will be 4,856 years old in 2024.
The Great Basin bristlecone pine is the oldest tree species in the world. Many trees are about 4,000 years old, with the oldest being nearly 5,000 years old. (GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images)
Although Methuselah is the oldest pine of its kind, there are several bristlecone pines in the Great Basin that are over 4,000 years old, according to the U.S. Park Service website.
The Great Basin bristlecone pine is not only able to withstand harsh weather conditions, but also features unique growth patterns that contribute to its longevity.
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According to the National Park Service, the roots of the tree nourish the parts of the tree directly above them. This means that when a root dies, only the part of the tree nourished by that root dies, and the rest of the tree continues to grow vigorously.
2. Where can I find the Great Basin bristlecone pine?
The Great Basin bristlecone pine is a very rare species.
According to the National Park Service website, the trees are found in California, Nevada and Utah.
Great Basin bristlecone pines are very rare and occur in only a few states. (Carol M. Highsmith/Buyenlarge/Getty Images)
Great Basin National Park in Nevada is a place where you can see the ancient trees up close.
According to the National Park Service, there are three Great Basin bristlecone pine forests in the park: Wheeler Peak, Mount Washington, and Eagle Peak.
The national park in Nevada offers hikes for all levels as well as scenic drives that repeatedly feature the bristlecone pines of the Great Basin.
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Another national park with many ancient tree species is Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah.
To see the bristlecone pines of Utah’s Great Basin, hike the Fairyland Loop Trail or the Bristlecone Loop Trail at Rainbow Point, according to the National Park Service.
The Bristlecone Loop is home to the oldest tree in the park. It stands at Yovimpa Point and is, according to the source, around 1,600 years old.
National parks in Utah, California and Nevada are home to this ancient tree species. (Galen Rowell/Corbis via Getty Images)
You can also see trees of this species on the Peekaboo Loop Trail and along the Rim Trail.
The Inyo National Forest in California is a third place where Great Basin bristlecone pines can be found.
This park, specifically Patriarch Grove, is home to the world’s largest bristlecone pine in the Great Basin, according to the US Forest Service.
3. Who discovered the oldest bristlecone pine in the Great Basin?
According to Live Science, the oldest bristlecone pine in the Great Basin was discovered in 1957 by a researcher named Edmund Schulman.
The exact age of the tree was determined by taking cores from other Great Basin bristlecone pines in the area and counting the growth rings, according to the source.
Methuselah is the oldest living tree of the Great Basin bristlecone pine genus. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The oldest such tree before Methuselah was Prometheus, a tree on Wheeler Peak that was about 4,900 years old when it was cut down in 1964.
According to the National Park Service, the tree was felled by a geographer named Donald R. Currey, who was conducting research on Ice Age glaciology at the time.
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The United States Forest Service granted Currey permission to take core samples from Great Basin bristlecone pines in the region.
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A later analysis revealed that the tree felled by Currey had 4,862 annual rings, according to the National Park Service, but the tree now felled is likely even older.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture website, Methuselah is located in the Inyo National Forest, but its exact location is kept secret by the U.S. Forest Service for protection.
