Nature's Museum

There is a fairly significant stand of Bristlecone Pines at the far south point of Bryce Canyon, just past the end of the road at Rainbow Point.  It's also the highest point  in the Canyon at over 9000ft (2743m).  I actually had not been here on previous visits... and as I mentioned in my last post, we got turned back while on the way to find a really big area of Bristlecones the day before, so I was determined to at least get to this one, thunder or no... and it WAS thundering, but far enough away to feel somewhat comfortable. Actually this shot would probably not be anywhere near as interesting without the threatening sky.
Most of the trees in this location are fairly young and green, unlike the really gnarly old ones found in the White Mountains of California, as I posted an example of here. I suppose this one keeled over hundreds of years ago and now sits like some abstract sculpture watching over the edge of the Canyon.