Join the Michigan Big Tree Hunt
This cottonwood in Leland was the state champion of Michigan before it was taken down
Anyone who texts about weed probably is familiar with “trees” aka ? as slang for marijuana, and we have a hard time thinking of a better way to enjoy your buzz than hunting for big trees!
ReLeaf Michigan created the Michigan Big Tree Hunt in 1993 to celebrate our state’s beauty and create a fun way to gather information about Michigan’s biggest trees. They’ve kicked off the 2021 Michigan Big Tree Hunt, a great activity for families, groups of friends, fun dates, or solo adventurers. By identifying big trees you can take part in a statewide effort to track these living landmarks, maybe even finding the largest tree in your county or the entire state.
The biggest trees are nominated for the State Champion Tree List and can even be entered into the official National Register of Big Trees. FYI, the tallest tree in Michigan is a 143′ tall white pine (Michigan’s State Tree) in Luce County in the Upper Peninsula. They’re offering prizes in the following categories:
- Largest tree found by a Big Tree Hunter age 16 or older
- Largest tree found by a Big Tree Hunter age 15 or younger
- Largest White Pine any age
- Largest tree found for each county in Michigan
- Tree (of any species) that is larger than the current registered Michigan State Champion (Note: four species currently have no registered state champion, so any size submitted could be a potential winner – striped maple, mountain maple, choke cherry, and white/paper birch.)
It’s free to participate, and there’s nothing better than spending time outside appreciating the beauty and majesty of large trees. Head over to the Big Tree Hunt to get started!
