Tall Tree .. Humboldt Redwoods State Park

aka Rockefeller coast redwood

by Mario Vaden

 

This coast redwood is the Tall Tree in Humboldt Redwoods State Park. A former title holder for the world's tallest known. It's others names are Rockefeller Redwood or Jerry Partain Tree and variation. I go with Rockefeller. It's among the tallest 20 coast redwood in the park and easy to find and reach. Take Avenue of the Giants / 254, turn on Mattole Rd. east for a few miles to a driveway & parking area. The visitor centers typically direct people to it anyway but I enjoy the photo and thought this was a good fit to share it. The measurement listed in 2014 was:

Height 366.5 ft. / Diameter 15.2 ft.

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The very top is so hard to see, Chris Atkins spent several attempts over a few months finding various angles until he spotted a taller apex. The real height has changed but the 2014 number does the job. I believe one nickname refers to Professor Emeritus Jerry Partain (1925 - 2016) who helped to establish the Humboldt State Forestry bachelor's degree program. This location has several benefits. The Rockefeller redwood is mostly wide open and easy to photograph. Barely a two minute walk from parking. But there are excellent trails going both ways with scenery with other spectacular redwoods. Just grab your boots and camera and pick a direction. The area is also known as Upper Bull Creek Flat