Bigleaf Maple & 3 Root Systems at Simpson Reed trail

by Mario Vaden

 

The Bigleaf maple below is in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. The hiking trail is on the north side of Highway 199, west of the campground and Smith River bridge. Its growing along the Peterson Memorial Trail Loop that connects with the Simpson Reed Discovery trail.

This maple has 3 root systems. Two are obvious on the right and the left. On the far left side, you can see the top of second very short arch of trunk rooted in a third spot. So there are 3 distinct places where this plant is rooted into the earth. I am uncertain which one was the point of origin.

There is another bigleaf maple on the Mill Creek Trail arched and rooted at both ends, in the same park. And a redwood crossing a small gulley along the Hiouchi Trail, rooted at both ends, with several stems. This is one kind of unusual growth you can see on a redwoods vacation.

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