The tallest tree on Earth grows in California, and you’re not allowed to see it
Somewhere in Redwood National Park stands a tree taller than a football field laid on end — 381.3 feet at last measurement — and the National Park Service will not tell you where it is. Hyperion, the tallest living thing ever recorded on Earth, has been officially off-limits since 2022.
Off-trail hikers trampled the understory and compacted the soil around its roots so badly that rangers sealed the whole area off. Wander into the closure zone now and you’re risking up to six months in jail and a $5,000 fine, which is a steep price for a blurry photo of bark.
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Why the world’s tallest tree is officially a no-go zone
Naturalists Chris Atkins and Michael Taylor found Hyperion in 2006, tucked into a remote, off-trail stretch of the park specifically to keep it obscure. That held for over a decade, until its GPS coordinates leaked online and the secret spot turned into a bushwhacking pilgrimage.
The damage showed up fast: crushed ferns, exposed roots, a widening dirt path where there wasn’t supposed to be one. The Park Service’s response was a hard closure, not a permit system, so there’s currently no legal way to visit Hyperion at all, no matter how badly you want the bragging rights.
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Founders Grove: the tree that used to hold the title
Before Hyperion, the record belonged to the Founders Tree, and we still think it’s one of the most humbling stops on the Avenue of the Giants. Surveyors crowned it the world’s tallest tree in 1931 at a measured 364 feet; modern methods put it closer to 346 feet today, but standing at the base, the exact number stops mattering fast.
The loop here is 0.6 miles and nearly flat, just 38 feet of elevation gain, so this one’s genuinely doable for anyone. Build a full day around it if you’re already driving Highway 101.
Lady Bird Johnson Grove: the one actually inside the national park
Founders Grove technically sits in a state park. If you want old growth inside Redwood National Park itself, Lady Bird Johnson Grove is the move, and we’ve walked this loop more than once — the trees here feel just as outsized as anything near Hyperion, minus the trespassing charge.
It’s a 1.5-mile loop with about 101 feet of gentle climbing, an easy half hour if you don’t stop and longer if you can’t stop reaching for your phone. Dogs aren’t allowed on this one, so plan around that if you’re traveling with a pup.
Stout Grove: the postcard shot without the permit
If Jedediah Smith Redwoods is more your route, Stout Grove is the one everyone photographs, and for good reason. We’ve hiked this loop a few times now, and the light filtering through the canopy here is different every visit — softer, greener, almost underwater.
It’s a 0.6-mile loop with just 32 feet of elevation gain, tucked along the Smith River. Pair it with the rest of Jedediah Smith Redwoods if you’ve got a full day to spend up north.
Tall Trees Grove, if you want to earn it
For hikers who want something Hyperion-adjacent without the felony energy, Tall Trees Grove is the answer — home to several of the tallest redwoods anyone can legally visit. Getting in requires a free reservation through the park’s online permit system, capped at 50 parties a day and released just 24 hours out.
The hike itself runs 4.5 miles round trip with about 1,600 feet of elevation change, a real hike and not a stroll. This one’s earned, and honestly, that’s kind of the point.
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Before you go
Redwood National Park itself charges no entrance fee — no gate, no booth, nothing to buy. The three state parks woven into it (Jedediah Smith, Del Norte Coast, and Prairie Creek Redwoods) do collect day-use fees at their developed campgrounds, and overnight camping runs $35 a night if you’re staying over.
If you’re stringing groves together, the Avenue of the Giants is the easiest way to link Founders Grove with everything else Humboldt County has to offer. Every one of these stops gets you standing under trees within shouting distance of Hyperion’s height, and none of them come with a court date — which one’s first on your list?
Trip tips: grab a rental car for the drive up Highway 101, lock in a hotel near Eureka or Crescent City, or skip both and book a camper van if you’re turning this into a full North Coast loop.
Rules and fees change — always confirm current requirements before you go.
