Notes: Juggernaut, also known as Grogan's Fault and Spartan, is the world's 9th largest tree, the 2nd largest coast redwood, the 2nd largest tree in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, and the largest tree in Metcalf Grove. Juggernaut (1,359 AF points) is the unofficial (still unnominated) American Forests national champion coast redwood. Trunk volume estimate excludes two large basal sprouts, 500 ft³ (14 m³), which emerge on the north and east sides of the tree. Although Juggernaut and its basal sprouts may be genetically identical, experts consider them separate trees which share a common root system.

In spring 2007, the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the California State Parks Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, and Save the Redwoods League paid Sanborn Mapping Services $183,000 to conduct an aerial LiDAR survey of Redwood National and State Parks, the Headwaters Forest Reserve, and Humboldt Redwoods State Park. Over a period of three months, Sanborn's 1968 Aero Commander 500S aircraft, carrying Leica Geosystems topographic LiDAR sensors, flew back and forth above the parks, at an altitude of 2,625 ft (800 m), while a laser, firing through a hole in the bottom of the fuselage, scanned the terrain below. The aircraft traveled more than 13,500 mi (21,726 km) during the survey while LiDAR sensors recorded the precise location, between the ground and the treetops, of 85,000 points every second to generate a three-dimensional map of the forest. After researchers processed the LiDAR data to estimate the height, width, and volume of several trees in each park, naturalists hiked to the tallest and largest specimens to confirm their dimensions.

Drive: Juggernaut is 291 mi (468 km) north of San Francisco near Crescent City.

Northbound: From U.S. Highway 101, exit Humboldt Road just south of Crescent City. Turn right onto Humboldt Road and drive north 1.5 mi (2.4 km) to Howland Hill Road. Turn right onto Howland Hill Road and drive north 3.1 mi (5.0 km), past Howland Hill Giant, to the Boy Scout Tree Trail sign and parking area located at 41.76856 -124.11022.

Southbound: From U.S. Highway 101, exit Elk Valley Road just south of Crescent City. Turn left onto Elk Valley Road and drive east 1.1 mi (1.8 km) to Howland Hill Road. Turn right onto Howland Hill Road and drive 3.6 mi (5.8 km) to the Boy Scout Tree Trail sign and parking area, located at 41.76856, -124.11022.

Hike: GPS-assisted navigation is recommended for this hike. From the trailhead, hike 1.6 mi (2.6 km) northwest on Boy Scout Tree Trail, across Jordan Creek, to the trail exit point, near 41.77781 -124.12945, just past a distinct pair of fused redwoods. Exit the trail here, veer right, and, using a GPS device, hike downhill/southwest off-trail, past a distinct curved tree, to the creek crossing near 41.77717 -124.12968. Cross Jordan Creek, veer left, and hike uphill/southeast to Juggernaut. This zig-zag route across Jordan Creek avoids obstacles present along the direct route.

View Juggernaut Tree location in Google Maps

Panoramas: Click panoramas to take a virtual tour of Juggernaut Tree

Photos: Pictures of Juggernaut Tree taken from different sides