We encountered two great groupings of aspen as we were winding our way down the finishing touches of the Bear Jaw Trail. aspen trees need fire to regenerate. The trees, known for their “quaking” leaves and yellow autumn hues, typically live 80 to 120 years. Ponderosa pines can live 400 or 500 years and eventually tower over aspens, cutting them off from sunlight.

“Aspen is a very shade-intolerant species”. The trees have adapted to take advantage of their light conditions. The leaves tremble to catch more sunlight. In open stands, the bark turns white to help protect the tree from the sun. In shadier areas, the bark may have a greenish hue, which is capable of photosynthesis.