Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Adventure: Hiking in the Birch Creek Roadless Area
Name of area/general location:
Inyo National Forest, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, Schulman Grove
AllTrails Hike Link
Land acknowledgment:
This adventure is located on the traditional, ancestral, unceded territory of the Eastern Mono/Monache Peoples (Nüümü Witü). To learn more about the original residents and stewards of the lands, visit: native-land.ca
Trail rating and why (easy, moderate, hard):
These trails are rated as moderate, primarily because they are located at an extremely high elevation (approximately 10,000 feet). In order to avoid altitude sickness, it is important to take the time to acclimate to high elevations before attempting any of these hikes.
Permissible trail uses (dogs, horses, mountain bikes, others):
Dogs are permitted on these trails so long as they are on a leash.
Description of area, sights, wildlife and any key markers on the trail/river/climb etc.
These three trails begin and end at the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Visitor Center at Schulman Grove:
- Discovery Trail: One mile loop that features Great Basin Bristlecone pines, interpretive signs, and rest benches along the trail.
- Methuselah Trail: A 4.5 mile loop with a cumulative elevation change of 900 feet. Several rest benches have scenic views. The Methuselah Tree is along this trail, but it is not signed in order to protect it from vandalism. (Methuselah, being more than 4,850 years old, is considered the oldest living Great Basin Bristlecone pine.) This trail can be combined with the Bristlecone Cabin Trail.
- Bristlecone Cabin Trail: 3.5 mile loop that features historic miner's cabins and mine entrances of the Mexican Mine and passes many bristlecone and limber pine trees. Return on the Methuselah Trail for the full 3.5 mile loop. These trails are mostly located within the 28,816-acre Birch Creek Roadless Area.
How to get there:
From Highway 395 in Big Pine, go east on CA Highway 168 for 13 miles. Turn left (north) on White Mountain Road toward the Bristlecone Pine Forest. In 10 miles, turn right into the Schulman Grove parking lot.
This is a winding mountain road with a 6,000-foot elevation gain. Important note: there are no services beyond Big Pine, so fill up on gas and bring water. This area also has minimal to no cell phone service, so do not depend on cell service for navigation or communication.
More information:
The 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule currently protects roadless areas from new road construction and logging of large-diameter, mature trees (with some exceptions).
The Birch Creek Roadless Area is home to a number of plants and animals, including the North American porcupine and the spiny-leaved milk vetch (which is relatively rare in California), but the primary reason that visitors flock to this area is to see the Great Basin Bristlecone pines. The area experiences extreme, adverse conditions, with its arid land and the rigors of an elevation of more than 10,000 feet. These hearty trees have adapted to their challenging environment and can even thrive in it. Wind-whipped sand, ice, drought, and fire have sculptured the bristlecone pines into many beautiful shapes and forms.
The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Visitor Center is open seven days a week from 9 am to 5 pm, although it is closed for the winter October through April and on all federal holidays. Restrooms (vault toilets) are open during the summer season, only.
However, you may still access these trails when the visitor center is closed, so long as the U.S. Forest Service gate on White Mountain Road a little bit down the mountain from the visitor center parking lot has not been closed and locked.
The day use fee for the area is $3.00 per person with a maximum of $6.00 per car, but children under 18 are free. Interagency passes are accepted. Camping and overnight parking are prohibited at the visitor center. However, nearby Grandview Campground, located about five miles south of the visitor center off of White Mountain Road, is a relatively nearby camping option.
Contact the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest Visitor Center at (760) 873-2500 or the Inyo National Forest Bishop office at (760) 873-2400.
