Great Basin Bristlecone Pines grow between the elevations of 9800 - 11000 feet, and are the oldest living organisms on earth. Located in the Inyo National Forest, the groves of Bristlecone Pines in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest of the White Mountains in California are home to trees which were alive hundreds of years before the great pyramids of Giza were built in Ancient Egypt. One of the oldest of these trees is Methuselah at 4851 years old (since passed in age by the discovery of a tree in the area at over 5000 years old). The gnarled, twisted branches are a testament to the trees ability to survive in this harsh, dry climate.