Locations

• Singleleaf pinyon grows in rocky soils and rock crevices in the woodlands of higher elevation areas all across Nevada except for the northernmost areas of the state. Juniper trees grow in the state's lower elevations thanks to their adaptations to drought conditions, but the trees also grow on rocky ridge tops. Juniper trees start appearing in the northwester part of Nevada and extend into the northern Great Basin and southern Cascade Mountain range. Bristlecone pine grows at high elevations in dry areas near the Great Basin area. Aspens grow in the higher mountain ranges of the state.
  
  

Characteristics

• Both pinion and juniper trees grow from 15 to 20 feet in height. The single-leaf pinyon grows up to 50 feet in height when the right conditions prevail. The aromatic pinyon features short, stiff needles and gnarled branches. The bristlecone pine remains one of the oldest living things on earth with some trees reaching more than 4,000 years of age. Bristlecone pines reach up to 30 feet in height, producing massive trunks thanks to the long life of the trees. The aspen tree grows up to 100 feet in height and reproduces by sending out runners underground that become new trees. Entire forests of aspens often come from one genetically identical tree.
  
  

Understory

• Little understory exists in the pinion and juniper forests, with sagebrush and bunchgrass making up the plants that do survive in the hot, dry climate. But once you reach the sub-alpine forests of the Snake Range, the understory becomes more significant with grasses and bushes as well as wildflowers that make their appearance in the spring and early summer.
  
  

Importance

• The pinyon and juniper woodlands provide valuable habitat and shelter for a wide range of wildlife that call these areas home. Mule deer and desert bighorn sheep rely on these scant forests, and the berries and nuts from the trees offer important food sources for birds and small mammals. Old, cavity-filled trees provide nesting and shelter for birds and small mammals. Native Americans and settlers relied on pinyon pines for food, firewood, fencing and building materials. Today, the trees provide pine nuts and fuel wood.
  
  

Visiting

• One of the best places to see Nevada's bristlecone pines lies in the Great Basin National Park, approximately 286 miles from Las Vegas. The park lies in east central Nevada, near the town of Baker. The 12-mile long Wheeler Peak Scenic drive takes visitors to the bristlecone pine interpretive trail as well as several other trailheads.