Tall Trees Walking Tour Stop 3

Evidence of redwoods surviving fire is found throughout the park.

NPS Photo

Quick Facts

Location:

41.20713903290, -123.99594733600

Disturbance

Fire is an important element in healthy forest ecologies. Fire makes space for plants to grow and returns vital nutrients to the soil. Most of the larger and older trees in this forest can resist serious fire damage due to thick layers of bark. Many of the younger trees, huckleberries and rhododendron surrounding this post are no older than the last fire! Some of the char marks on the trees in this forest may be decades if not hundreds of years old!

As you may have witnessed on your way down to this stop, fires aren’t the only major disturbance in this changing landscape. Severe winter storms in 2023 brought heavy snow and rain, placing extra weight on tree canopies; combined with high winds, hundreds of trees came crashing down. Geological uplift and erosion can alter the terrain as well, sometimes at a rate of just a few millimeters per decade or a hillside all at once! Before you arrive at your next stop you will encounter a majestic vista into the forest below. This grand opening in the canopy was created by multiple events of falling trees. What do you notice about the sizes and ages of the trees growing in such clearings?