A young grove of ponderosa pines spreads throughout a meadow on Mt.Trumbull.
NPS/ Todd Miller
Ponderosa pine is a drought-tolerant, sun loving species that offers a cool and pleasant respite from the arid, lower lands that surround it. Old growth trees, some reaching over 125 feet, stand tall and proud in the deep soil of the mountain tops, while others must persevere in gnarled and stunted form on lava flows or cinder fields. Their heavy thick bark carries the fragrant scent of vanilla or butterscotch and provides insulation and protection to the delicate cambium layers underneath while scorching wildfire passes by.
These hefty storytellers share a tale of time through the centuries as they can live to be over 400 years old. These larger trees may be difficult to find on the monument due to heavy logging practices. Ponderosa pines fueled the construction of the west by providing much needed timber for farms, houses, and city buildings.in the late-1800s and early-1900s.
Last updated: January 15, 2020
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Contact Info
Mailing Address:
Public Lands Visitor Center
345 East Riverside Drive
Saint George,
UT
84790
Phone:
(435) 688-3200
This federal interagency office is staffed by employees from the National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S National Forest Service, and by dedicated volunteers from the local community. Phones are answered Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The visitor center is closed on Saturdays, Sundays, and all federal holidays.
