Methuselah Loop Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

The Methuselah Loop Trail; the trail with the oldest known tree (4800 years) living today. This is located in the White Mountains in Inyo National Forest.

The drive isn't to bad getting here; the roads are paved the whole way. There are some steep inclines and winding turns, so you'll want to be careful. There are no street lights or anything, and the nearest town is quite a ways away, so make sure you have anything you need.

The visitor center, "Schulman Grove," Is the destination to set your GPS to if you would like to drive to the Methuselah trail. There is a parking lot and the center itself is very nice.

You can pick up trail maps a the beginning of the trails. The Methuselah Loop Trail itself has points of interest numbered as you travel along. If you follow the trail map, it will tell you about each point of interest. It is very educational about the Bristlecone pines, if you are interested.

The trail is 4.2 miles, self guided and USUALLY easy to follow, unless there has been heavy snowfall. The trail isn't too difficult, but there is roughly an 800 foot elevation change. What makes it more difficult is the fact that you are up in the 10,000 foot elevation range and the air is thin. You can't push yourself or you'll be easily winded.

The trail on average at a smooth pace takes between 2-3 hours.

Important Note
Make sure you have plenty of water! Because of the high altitude, you breath a lot more and faster; your sweat evaporates faster, and humidity is lower at higher altitudes. You may not realize how much water your body is losing.

The trail is pretty cool because of the altitude, so heat isn't really an issue, though you may want to bring a hat to protect yourself from sunburn. Make sure that you have snacks and whatever you need, because again, there is nothing on the trail in terms of food, water, bathrooms, etc.

Another great thing about this place is the solitude. If you hate going to a national park and being around tons of people, that is not an issue here. I didn't see a single person the whole day I was here last.

Bristlecone Pines are the highlight here.