Meeting Giant Trees

I recently had the pleasure of meeting the largest tree in the United States (east of the Cascade-Sierra Crest that is) and it got me thinking about some of the others I've seen over the years. I think it all began as a little kid, maybe 8 or 10 years old, when my family took a trip through South Park, Colorado (the real one without a Cartman or Kenny) and we stopped at the Florissant Fossil Beds. The park is in a great location and we visited it often over the years. I have always been fascinated by the history and geology of the place. The trails of the park weave around the world's only massive petrified redwood tree stumps with diameters up to 14 foot. Since I don't have any digital photos of those visits here is a photo from the National Park website. The photo doesn't show it well but these are huge. I know I have a photo somewhere of my brother and I  standing next to one and being dwarfed by it. They were preserved when a volcanic mudflow buried the trees making the perfect environment for petrification to occur.


The next time I met a massive tree was when I lived in Shreveport, Louisiana. I was a naturalist for the state parks and we had arborist training in New Orleans. During one of our field trips we got to see the Seven Sister's Oak in Mandeville, LA just across Lake Pontchartrain from NOLA. (Got to drive across the world's longest bridge to see it too!). It is on private property and measures about 12 feet in diameter, about 55 feet tall and it's branches spreads more than 130 feet. I love how the branches undulate along the ground like snakes. At about 1500 years old, it is by far one of the most charismatic trees I've ever met.



Then we come to the elusive western red cedar tree here in Idaho that I finally found. Almost exactly one year ago my father and I tried to find this behemoth while he was visiting me. We heard that the directional signage was bad but we gave it a try. There were no signs on the roadways and we were relying on descriptions of it's location found online. We drove up to Elk River and took a gravel road into the forest heading northeast out of the town. We drove for miles and miles and didn't see any signs directing us to the giant tree. Eventually we gave up and headed home. While we didn't see the tree then, it was still a beautiful drive.

I have since discovered that my dad and I were most likely only 3 or 4 miles from the tree. Had we continued on for just a wee bit longer we would have come upon the parking area, restrooms and SIGN! I found it this time by going with friends who'd been there before. The hike to the tree is paved and short. There are lots of other large trees around but when you round a corner of the trail you see the granddaddy of them all.

This tree has a diameter of 18 feet and stands 177 feet tall! Keep in mind that that boardwalk around it is about 2 feet off the ground. It is also presumed to be around 3000 years old. I walked around it, caressed its bark, gazed upward into its tangle of branches and wondered...what has this tree seen in its long life; how many years did it stand unnoticed by any humans; how many animals have taken shelter in its shade or nested in its branches; what would it say if it could talk? I am not sure why giant (and very old) trees are so compelling but I always get goosebumps when I meet one.

I implore you, dear reader, get out there and HUG A TREE!