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The Unwondering Project

Top 10 National Champion Trees in America

Ten places we think are worth the trip, hand-picked, not an exhaustive list, just a place to start.

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National Champion Trees
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★ Featured Selection
General Sherman (Giant Sequoia)

General Sherman (Giant Sequoia)

Sequoia National Park, CA

The largest tree in the world by volume; wheelchair-accessible trail available

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★ Featured Selection
Quinault Lake Cedar (Western Redcedar)

Quinault Lake Cedar (Western Redcedar)

Olympic National Forest, WA

One of the biggest trees in the world outside California; half-mile trail from Lake Quinault Resort

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★ Featured Selection
Elk Creek Champion (Port-Orford-Cedar)

Elk Creek Champion (Port-Orford-Cedar)

Siskiyou National Forest (near Powers), OR

Sixth-biggest champion tree in the country

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Village Sentinel (Live Oak)

Waycross, GA

The nation's largest oak; pride of a local retirement community, publicly viewable at the gate

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★ Featured Selection
Fremont Cottonwood

Fremont Cottonwood

near Patagonia, AZ

The nation's biggest cottonwood, visible from the road at milepost 17.5 on Highway 82

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★ Featured Selection
Jardine Juniper (Rocky Mountain Juniper)

Jardine Juniper (Rocky Mountain Juniper)

Logan Canyon, UT

1,500-year-old ancient tree at the end of a well-known 10-mile round-trip hike

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★ Featured Selection
Big Oak Tree State Park Champions (Pumpkin Ash & Swamp Chestnut Oak)

Big Oak Tree State Park Champions (Pumpkin Ash & Swamp Chestnut Oak)

near East Prairie, MO

Two national champions in one accessible park with a boardwalk trail

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Monterey Cypress

near Pescadero, CA

Ninth-largest champion tree; visible from the road

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Bigleaf Maple

near Jewell, OR

The nation's biggest maple

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★ Featured Selection
Bennett Juniper (Western Juniper)

Bennett Juniper (Western Juniper)

Stanislaus National Forest, CA

Multi-thousand-year-old, bonsai-shaped ancient tree

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See The Full List All 88 National Champion Trees in America