The National Park Service is trying to preserve the world’s tallest tree by banning hikes to it. But this approach will never completely work since the location of the 380-foot redwood is an open secret. Instagrammers and the Guinness Book of World Records have made sure of that.
Still, the gargantuan tree — a coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) that was technically “discovered” by two amateur naturalists in 2006 — is officially off-limits to visitors even though it is only a short distance off a main trail. Bushwhack your way to it in California’s Redwood National Park and you could face six months in jail and a $5,000 fine, the park service announced early this month.
Potential endangerment and a location that’s officially confidential? Adding risk to the equation could make gazing up at the king of the redwoods that much more enticing to hikers who have put it on their bucket list.
