Want to be truly in awe of Mother Nature? Look no further than these huge reminders of the amazing sights that exist in nature. Fair warning that you might have to crane your neck a little bit first, though.
Easy Difficulty
Giant Sequoia (Sequoia National Park, California)
Known as the General Sherman Tree, the Giant Sequoia stands at nearly 275 feet tall and spans 103 feet. The tree is such a draw for visitors that it has two shuttle buses that run to it during the busy summer season: one to the top of it, and one to the bottom. You can’t go wrong with either, as it’s a fairly easy hike from one end to the other. Plan ahead to make a morning or afternoon of it by hiking the Congress Trail nearby as well.
Medium Difficulty
Doerner Fir (Brummit Creek, Oregon)
Not only is the Doerner Fir (formerly known as the Brummit Fir) the largest in Oregon, it’s the tallest Douglas Fir in the entire world, and the tallest non-redwood tree. Despite its size, it somehow wasn’t discovered until 1989. It’s currently more than 300 feet tall, and its trunk spans nearly 12 feet. While you’re in the area, check out the gorgeous waterfall, Orphic Rock Falls, to admire another natural wonder.
Visit the Bureau of Land Management website for directions on where to find Doerner Fir.
Hard Difficulty
Raven Spruce (Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, California)
It might take a little hunting to get to this massive Spruce tree as its exact location is unknown, but it’s totally worth the search. Hint: internet sources list its coordinates as 41.3805 N, 124.0140 W if you’re in the mood to navigate. Known as Raven Spruce, the tree was discovered in 2001, stands at more than 300 feet tall, and is said to still be growing!
Biggest Tree You Can’t See
Hyperion (Redwood National Park, California)
Majestic Redwoods are widely known for their height, but this particular tree, nicknamed Hyperion, holds the distinction of being the tallest in the whole world. Measuring almost 380 feet tall, its estimated age is 700-800 years, and two naturalists officially discovered the tree in 2006. Try your best, but even a selfie stick probably wouldn’t be able to capture the full effect of that epic trunk.
The location of Hyperion remains a guarded secret. Hardcore “treeseekers” can do heavy research to nail down a search location, and hike and bushwhack from there…but chances are you’ll never see this beauty. You can read Steve Hall’s grueling account of a 14-hour relentless journey to find the tree here.
