09/12/2026
What do tree climbing scientists, cats, rubber bands, and 1,000-year-old trees have in common?
They’re all limber!
“Limber” usually brings to mind something flexible or bendy. Trees? Not so much. But Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve is home to a tree with one very fitting name: limber pine (Pinus flexilis) – some of the supplest trees on Earth.
Typically found in high-elevation forests, these five-needle pines thrive above 5,500 feet at Craters of the Moon, where they have adapted to the high desert and rugged lava landscape.
Limber pines grow slowly and can live for a very long time. Some trees at Craters of the Moon are estimated to average more than 1,000 years old!
But age is not the only thing that makes these trees remarkable.
For the past few years, National Park Service natural resource staff, including certified tree climbers (yep, it’s a real thing!) have been collecting cones from these ancient trees. The cones are being placed into long-term storage for future scientific research and restoration projects, helping preserve the genetic legacy of these remarkable trees.
Look closely in the photo, can you find the certified tree climbing scientist?
NPS Photos
