Kalaloch Big Cedar – Forks, Washington - Atlas Obscura
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Kalaloch Big Cedar

Olympic National Park
Forks, Washington

This tree has witnessed nearly 1,000 years of history.  

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The Kalaloch Big Cedar is the third-largest of its species.
The Kalaloch Big Cedar is the third-largest of its species.
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Around the time Leif Ericson and his fellow Vikings were sailing to North America, this mighty Sitka cedar tree was just a sprout. Even in this forest of ancient trees, this mighty specimen has a particularly powerful presence. Botanists believe it to be roughly 1,000 years old. At 175 feet tall, the tree is the third-largest of its kind. 

The weathered bark bears the scars of a coastal storm that tore the trunk almost in two in 2014. Despite the damage, the tree continues to produce leaves. It shows the cycle of life through their decomposing and froth into a nurse tree.

Know Before You Go

The trail to this mighty tree is short, flat, and accessible to hikers of all levels.

national parks trees
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Published
June 20, 2023
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Nearby
Kalaloch Tree of Life
4.32 miles
Second Beach
18.01 miles
Forks Timber Museum
18.08 miles
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