Big Tree Ponderosa Pine

Nicknamed 'Big Tree', 'Big Red', and 'Giant', the largest* ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) in the world is located in LaPine State Park.  The tree is over 500 years old, 162 feet tall, and 28.9 feet in circumference.  Until recently the tree was thought only to be the largest of its species in Oregon, but with recent confirmations by Ascending the Giants (a local non-profit dedicated to exploring and preserving old-growth forests), the tree is now believed to be the largest ponderosa pine in the world.

From the ‘Big Tree’ parking lot, a paved, ADA-accessible trail leads less than a quarter mile to the giant before proceeding down to the Deschutes River (the riparian zone ideal for growing such a tree) and numerous other old-growth ponderosa pines.

* The LaPine State Park ‘Big Tree’ is the largest of its species; however, a ponderosa pine in the Siskiyou National Forest that measures just over 268 feet is currently the tallest.