Black Mountain Beauty
Height: 262.70+ ft (80.07+ m) Elevation: 6,358 ft (1,938 m) GPS Latitude: 36.11623
Volume: 29,697 ft3 (841 m3) Creek: West Fork Wilson Creek GPS Longitude: -118.67518
Width: 19.10 ft (5.82 m) Grove: Black Mountain Grove Discovery Date: 1983
Age: Park: Giant Sequoia NM Discovered By: Wendell D. Flint
Michael M. Law

Notes: Before the 2017 Pier Fire, Black Mountain Beauty, also known as Black Mountain Shaft, was the 19th largest tree in Giant Sequoia National Monument and the largest tree in Black Mountain Grove. The trunk lost significant volume after it burned, and, pending new volume estimates, Black Mountain Beauty likely no longer ranks among the 20 largest giant redwoods in Giant Sequoia National Monument.

Drive: Black Mountain Beauty is 237 mi (381 km) southeast of San Francisco near the city of Porterville.

Northbound: From U.S. Interstate 5 North, transfer to California State Route 99 North. From California State Route 99 North just north of Bakersfield, transfer to California State Route 65 North toward Porterville. Near Porterville, transfer to California State Route 190 East.

Southbound: From U.S. Interstate 5 South in Sacramento, transfer to U.S. Highway 50 East toward South Lake Tahoe. Drive east 1.7 mi (2.7 km) on U.S. Highway 50 and transfer to California State Highway 99 South. Near Tipton, transfer to California State Route 190 East toward Porterville.

From Porterville, drive east 32 mi (51 km) on California State Route 190 toward Camp Nelson and turn right onto Nelson Drive toward Camp Nelson and Coy Flat. Continue straight onto Coy Flat Drive (Forest Service Road 21S94) toward Coy Flat. Drive south 6.1 mi (9.8 km) on Coy Flat Drive (Forest Service Road 21S94), past Coy Flat Campground, and turn right onto Forest Service Road 21S12 (Solo Peak Road). Drive northwest 6.8 mi (10.9 km) on Forest Service Road 21S12 (Solo Peak Road), past the intersection with Forest Service Road 21S12B, and veer left onto Forest Service Road 21S25. Drive south and then east 2.1 mi (3.4 km) on Forest Service Road 21S25, past the intersections with Forest Service Roads 21S25A and 21S25B, to the parking spot at the end of the road.

Hike: From the parking spot, hike downhill/north 0.2 mi (0.3 km), following an old logging road along the ridgeline, to Black Mountain Beauty which stands beside the road on your right.

Rating: Easy One-Way Distance: 0.2 mi (0.3 km) Ascent: 22 ft (7 m)
Time: 10 min Off-Trail: 0.2 mi (0.3 km) Descent: 89 ft (27 m)
Black Mountain Tree Hike Map

View Black Mountain Beauty Tree location in Google Maps

Panoramas: Click panoramas to take a virtual tour of Black Mountain Beauty Tree

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Photos: Pictures of Black Mountain Beauty Tree taken from different sides

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