Situated at an elevation of 7,500 feet, the recreation area is forested with ponderosa pines and shrubs. The 2021 Bear Fire burned most of the bristlecone pines in the forest, but the ridge still offers scenic views and some portions of the forest are intact.
Recreation: The Bristlecone Ridge trail (3.1 miles starting in the north campground loop) allows visitors to hike through the burned bristlecone forest. Post-fire, these open grasslands fill with wildflowers in the summer months. There are two bouldering areas on the way up to the campground, and day use areas at each campground.