Visit The World’s Oldest Tree Stump At This National Park In Nevada

Great Basin National Park in Nevada is home to one of the world's oldest living trees: the bristlecone pine. Back in 1960, a researcher was studying the great Prometheus and, after getting his sampling bore caught in the trunk, proceeded to cut down the magnificent tree. It was subsequently dated as being the oldest living organism in the world. Today, Prometheus - now the world's oldest tree stump - sits below Nevada's Wheeler Peak.

Prometheus is located in Nevada's Great Basin National Park in the eastern part of the state near the Utah border.

Bristlecone Pines are found in isolated groves beneath the treeline, like Wheeler Peak Grove.

These magnificent trees are exceptionally hardy, able to withstand strong winds, being buried in snow, and sub-zero temperatures.

For self-preservation, these trees have been known to conserve their limited resources by allowing portions of themselves to die. Thus, bristlecone pines are not very tall (unlike the giant California sequoias) and have an extremely weathered, nearly-dead appearance. Their slow growth also makes these impressive trees resistant to insects, erosion, fungi, and rot.

In 1960, a graduate student searching for the world's oldest trees received permission to take a sample from Prometheus. His drill bore got stuck in the tree's massive trunk, and, tragically, he cut it down to retrieve his tool.

Upon doing so, he realized his immeasurably massive mistake. After counting the rings, he determined that he had felled, perhaps, the oldest tree in the world. Prometheus was dated as having lived 4,862 years - longer than any other single organism.

Prometheus' stump can still be found on Wheeler Peak: twisted, cracked, historic, and somewhat sad.

No older tree has ever been found; however, a tree known as Methuselah, in eastern California's White Mountains, is believed to be approximately 4,850+ years old. Many more magnificent bristlecone pines are found in several areas throughout the Great Basin, as well as in parts of California.

Have you visited this world's oldest tree stump? Please share your experiences in the comments!