| Height: | 366.11+ ft | (111.59+ m) | Elevation: | 115 ft (35 m) | GPS Latitude: | 41.22046 |
| Volume: | Creek: | Redwood Creek | GPS Longitude: | -124.01148 | ||
| Width: | 16.20 ft | (4.94 m) | Grove: | Forty Four Grove | Discovery Date: | 1963 |
| Age: | Park: | Redwood NP | Discovered By: | Chester C. Brown | ||
| Paul Fritz | ||||||
| Richard Youse |
Notes: Harry Cole, also known as Second Tallest Tree (1963), is the world's 18th tallest tree, the 7th tallest tree in Redwood National Park, and the tallest tree in Forty Four Grove. Named after Harry W. Cole, an officer of the Little River Redwood Company, Harry Cole held the title of world's tallest tree from July 1988 until May 1991 when naturalist Ron Hildebrant remeasured Nugget in Redwood National Park. Like Howard Libbey, Harry Cole lost height from storm damage, dieback, and decades of silt deposition around its trunk. Harry Cole is now 1.3 ft (0.4 m) shorter than a nearby sign indicates: 367.4 ft (112.0 m) in 1964.
The film In Search of the Tallest: A Redwoods Adventure includes a segment about Harry Cole.
Drive: Harry Cole Tree is 252 mi (406 km) north of San Francisco near the community of Orick.
From U.S. Highway 101 just north of Orick, turn onto Bald Hills Road and drive 7.0 mi (11.3 km) to the Tall Trees Grove Access Road (locked gate: reservation required). Turn right onto Tall Trees Grove Access Road, unlock the gate using the combination code provided in your reservation confirmation email, and drive south 5.2 mi (8.4 km) on the unpaved road to the Tall Trees trailhead parking lot.
Hike: From the trailhead, hike west/downhill 1.4 mi (2.3 km) on Tall Trees Trail to Tall Trees Grove.
Just after you pass to the right of a bench near the creek, turn right/northwest at the southern fork in Tall Trees
Loop trail. Although a sign suggests you continue left/west toward Redwood Creek Trail, turn right/northwest here instead; the eastern segment of Tall Trees Loop
is 0.3 mi (0.5 km) shorter. In 0.3 mi (0.5 km), continue straight/northeast toward Redwood Creek at the northern fork in the loop trail. Cross Redwood Creek
via the seasonal footbridge and hike north 0.75 mi (1.2 km) down Redwood Creek to Harry Cole, located near the edge of
the creek bed on your right. Next to the tree, a sign reads Second Tallest Tree - Height (1964) 367.4 feet.
Forty Four Creek joins Redwood Creek on the opposite
bank just north of Harry Cole.
Creek Warning: It is best to visit Harry Cole from July through October when Redwood Creek is low enough to wade across. You must cross Redwood Creek several times during your hike.
| Rating: | Easy | One-Way Distance: | 2.6 mi | (4.2 km) | Ascent: | 87 ft | (27 m) |
| Time: | 1 hr 30 min | Off-Trail: | 0.75 mi | (1.2 km) | Descent: | 823 ft | (251 m) |
View Harry Cole Tree location in Google Maps
Panoramas: Click panoramas to take a virtual tour of Harry Cole Tree
Photos: Pictures of Harry Cole Tree taken from different sides
