From the Archives: Mono Lake to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest

Hey friends—today we’re dusting off another chapter from our Sacramento-to-Atlanta road trip. This leg carried us from Mono Lake to the visitor center of the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mountains—a 103-mile stretch that takes about two hours if you drive straight through, and closer to three if you’re like us and can’t resist a scenic detour.

I love being on the road and rarely feel rushed. My travel partner, however, had a job waiting in Atlanta, so our moseying had its limits.

A Worthwhile Stop Before the Climb

Heading south on Highway 395 from Mono Lake, you’ll pass the turnoff for Highway 168 toward the forest. Before you make that turn, consider driving just a bit farther for a stop at Copper Top BBQ. Fill your tank. Grab a meal. Once you commit to 168, services disappear quickly.

If you’re planning to stay overnight, camping is your best bet. There are no chain hotels in the area, and while there are a few locally owned options, we ultimately wish we had chosen the comfort of our tent beneath the open sky. Out here, it simply feels right.

Into an Otherworldly Landscape

Highway 168 rises steadily into Inyo National Forest, and with each mile the world begins to feel less familiar. Much like Mono Lake, the landscape borders on otherworldly. The air is dry. The soil feels parched beneath your boots. Even the trees appear thirsty.

Technically, this is an alpine environment—but not the alpine I’ve known. It doesn’t resemble the lush meadows of early summer or the dramatic expanses above tree line in other ranges. The wind whips through constantly, producing a sound that feels almost haunted. The trees wear that wind in their twisted trunks and exposed roots, shaped and sanded by centuries of endurance.

As we climbed higher, I found myself thinking only, How interesting.

It wasn’t the burst-into-song joy I felt in Yosemite. It wasn’t the I-could-live-here-forever serenity of a Rocky Mountain meadow. It wasn’t even the quiet peace I once experienced in Joshua Tree National Park.

It felt… strange.

Not playful. Not welcoming. Not hostile, either.

Just ancient.

I felt like an intruder—like a young passerby wandering through a retirement home of trees that had seen more history than I could fathom.

The Oldest Living Witnesses on Earth

The twisted forms of the bristlecone pines are stories written in wood—stories of persistence at high altitude where conditions are harsh, soil is poor, and winters are relentless.

And yet, they endure.

The oldest known bristlecone pine is recognized as the oldest living non-clonal organism on Earth—over 5,000 years old. Take a moment to let that settle in. These trees were alive before the pyramids were built.

The famous Methuselah tree, estimated at roughly 4,800+ years old, resides here as well. Its exact location remains undisclosed, wisely protected from the wear of heavy visitation. Visitors can hike the 4.5-mile Methuselah Grove trail in search of possibility—knowing they may pass the tree without ever realizing it.

If time allows, both the Schulman Grove and Patriarch Grove offer remarkable perspectives. And if hiking isn’t in the cards, the drive alone—winding higher and higher into this stark and silent world—is worth the journey.

Looking back, this stretch of road didn’t give me joy in the usual sense. It gave me perspective. It gave me humility.

What is the strangest place you’ve ever visited? I’d love to hear about it.