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Great California Road Trips: Fun on the U.S. 395

This is the first post dedicated to adventures along U.S. 395. On this trip, Sami and I visited the Alabama Hills, Whitney Portal, and Mono Lake. There is much to explore on this highway that connects California to the Canadian border.

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Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest

Nestled in the Inyo National Forest not far from the California-Nevada border and the Eastern Sierras grow the ancient bristlecone pines. In the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, these Pinus longaeva trees grow in the harsh conditions, along with limber pines. The Great Basin bristlecones have stood the test of time and are some of the oldest trees on the planet, with many thought to date over 4000 years old, surviving for millennia in conditions most other plants can't. The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is accessible via U.S. 395 to CA-168, with some narrow and slightly scary parts.