Standing tall at 247 feet, the President tree in California’s Sequoia National Park is not only one of the world’s largest trees — it’s a living witness to over 3,000 years of Earth’s history.
Deep within California’s Sequoia National Park, a colossal and ancient being reaches toward the sky. Known as “The President,” this massive giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) stands an incredible 247 feet tall and is believed to be more than 3,200 years old — meaning it began growing during the Bronze Age. Though not the tallest tree in the world, the President is one of the most massive in terms of total biomass. Its four primary limbs are each as large as typical trees, and the canopy contains more than 2 billion leaves — more than the population of India.
This immense structure has earned the tree global recognition, including an ambitious photographic project by National Geographic, in which a team used ropes, pulleys, and stitching software to capture the full scale of the tree in a single, breathtaking image. The bark of a sequoia is one of its most remarkable adaptations. Growing up to three feet thick, it provides a natural armor against fires and pests. Sequoias are known to resist damage from flames, and their cones open only after exposure to the heat of fire, ensuring regeneration even in adversity.
Giant sequoias are the third longest-living tree species in the world, behind only the bristlecone pine and the Patagonian Alerce. While they were once targeted for logging in the 1800s, their brittle wood made them unsuitable for construction. Thankfully, most of these majestic trees are now federally protected, allowing them to continue growing — and astonishing us — for generations to come. Standing beneath the President, it’s impossible not to feel humbled by its age, strength, and beauty. It serves as a living link to the ancient past, and a solemn reminder of our duty to preserve such wonders for the future.
