Rough bark and abundant cones hanging down from upper branches identify Engelmann spruce. Blue spruce lines rivers and creeks in the valley. Cones have papery scales and are twice as large as those found on Engelmann spruce. Spruce needles occur singly and are sharp to the touch. Individual limber pines grow on open, dry valley sites.
Needles grow in bundles of five.
Whitebark pine grows above 8,000 feet in the mountains. Needles are in bundles of five. Cones are purple and shorter than those of limber pine. Aspen grows in stands on level, moist sites and on dry slopes. Aspen bark is smooth and cream-colored.