Scenic Drive Stop 6

Juniper trees (Juniperus osteosperma) grow alongside Stop 6 of the Scenic Drive.

NPS / E. Van Ness

To the west, the landscape is dotted with small trees. Junipers and pinyon pines live side by side in the most common plant community on the Colorado Plateau: the pinyon-juniper woodland. Junipers have overlapping scale-like leaves and light blue berries, which are actually tiny cones covered in a waxy coating. Every juniper is unique. Some are bushy, others appear to be half dead with bare twisting branches. To conserve water, the tree self-prunes, cutting off nutrients to some branches to ensure the survival of the tree. How do they obtain enough water in this very dry desert? An immense root system can account for two thirds of a tree’s mass. The main taproot can extend up to 25 feet underground and lateral roots may stretch up to 100 feet from the trunk. With the help of these adaptations, a juniper can live to be 700 years old, providing delectable berries to generations of rabbits, coyotes, and birds over its lifespan.