Believed to be New York’s tallest measured tree, 174-foot white pine rises above hundreds of giants
By Chloe Bennett
Erik Danielson was fairly certain he would find some tall trees when he drove from his home in Chautauqua County to Bolton last Saturday. Digital data from the state showed there was a grove of mostly white pine trees just off State Route 9N that reached unusual heights. He was right.
After setting up camp not far from Lake George, it took Danielson about an hour to find the tallest measured tree in the state: A white pine measuring 174 feet 3 inches.
“I was elated,” he said. “I don’t know, I tend to be kind of quiet in the woods, so I didn’t let out a whoop or anything.”
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Homage to fallen giant
Adirondack Explorer board member Charlotte Hall wrote an ode to Tree 103. Believed to be one of the tallest trees in the state, Tree 103 toppled in December 2021 after spending its life as part of a group of giant white pines known as “Elder’s Grove,” near Paul Smith’s College’s Visitor Information Center.
Fallen Tree 103. Photo courtesy of Philip Paige.
The previous title holder, which he also found, stood 164 feet 7 inches in 2020 near Ampersand Mountain.
To measure the trees, Danielson uses the sine top/sine bottom or Eastern Native Tree Society method which uses a laser and a clinometer. The laser measures the distance to the top of the tree and the clinometer measures angles. The technique was created by co-founder of the Native Tree Society Bob Leverett, who met and taught Danielson the method seven years ago.
“I have been incredibly impressed with his growth,” Leverett said. “I mean, he just took off like a rocket and he’s one of the people whose measurements I trust.”
Danielson, 31, was educated in the forest, opting for a hands-on experience over college. His career is wide-ranging, from pasture management to outreach for NYC Compost Project. Now he is the stewardship coordinator for the Western New York Land Conservancy where he manages conservation lands. When he’s not working or checking out smaller plants, he’s measuring trees.
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Initially, Danielson calculated the tall white pine at 172 feet 2 inches. But part of the sine method involves measuring trees from different viewing angles and finding repeatability in the numbers, which increased the overall height. “I’m very confident that it is the tallest, accurately measured tree in New York State,” he said.
The stand of trees Danielson was measuring and camping underneath are uniquely tall for their species and age. The grove is not old-growth, which is normally home to giants like the fallen Tree 103 at Paul Smiths, but likely between 120 to 180 years old, Danielson said. White pines can reach 130 feet, but this grove could be home to hundreds that are 150 feet or more.
“I’m hoping there might be around 300,” he said.
Sheltered by cliffs, the trees were likely able to grow protected from wind that could damage them or pull moisture from the air, resulting in above average heights. The plant diversity confirmed the quality of the forest for Danielson, who said camping near the tree was like being on a “wildlife super highway.”
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“Something like a 170 foot tall white pine in New York today is about as rare as, say a queen snake, which is one of our most endangered reptiles,” he said.
Measuring trees can be useful for data collection that is used for climate change studies, Danielson said. Conservation funds also tend to be concentrated on habitats and plants that are rare, like the white pine grove near Bolton.
Before the end of his trip, Danielson measured 100 trees around the area and many towered over 150 feet. But the tallest of them, a tree he has nicknamed Little Foot Pine for its small base, sticks out the most.
I’d like to know the diameter… such impressive giants!
Hi Upstater,
The diameter is just 31.3 inches. Not a “large” tree in the broader sense- just very tall.
I’m interested in knowing what girth at DBH is New York’s largest white pine.
The DBH of the widest currently known single-stem white pine in NY is 5.12 feet, in the McKenzie Mountain Wilderness. That tree is a bit shorter at 141 feet tall.
I remember reading about white pines in the Conewango Valley region of N.Y. Reaching heights of over 200’ in the early days. Wonder what the tallest ever recorded is?
Heights of up to 240′ have been claimed but weren’t substantiated. The tallest reliably measured in the modern era was 207 feet in the Smokies, before its top broke. I live in the Conewango Valley region and have read some log and stumpage reports from the 19th century that support claims of trees 180-200 feet tall being logged out of the valley. The combined geology, hydrology and topography of that area realistically may have grown some of the tallest white pines that ever grew. Not too far away is Cook Forest, where the tallest white pine in the northeast once stood 184 feet tall, and before they were logged and farmed those valley bottoms would have been even more favorable for tall trees than the habitat found at Cook Forest.
Hello. My property in Bolton has many very tall pines, although some have been logged. I would like to know where you found this largest tree, especially if it was on my property 3 miles south of Bolton Landing. Thank you.
Hi Matt,
This tree is on public land within the Lake George Wild Forest north of Bolton Landing.
I may have a few that beat that. certainly much wider. Moriah.
It’s not a very wide tree- the record it sets is for height only. The word “largest” can be confusing in this context.
The tallest and largest DBH White Pine’s in the Adirondacks can be found in what is known as the “Kings Forest” near Paul Smith’s College. The grove of trees were set aside back in the late 1700’s by the King of England for mast’s of ships. There were about 50+/- of these tress back when I attended PSC in the late 1980’s. It took four of us to, with outstretched arms, to get around the base of the tree. The DBH was about 6′. About ten years ago I took a hike back into the section of woods where I was still able to locate a few of those massive trees. I believe you have to cross private property to get there now, so ask permission before trekking through the woods.
Hi Daniel,
The grove at Paul Smith’s is well known, and is one of the most impressive collections of large pines all in one place to be found in the Adirondacks. However, individual trees of greater height (such as this one) as well as of greater DBH are now known from other groves in the park.
Would love to see that tree if is on state land or protected.
I know of some much larger pines on state land in Essex County, certainly much larger girth anyway. Three grown men can put their arms around this tree and not touch hands.
Are you DEC forester Matt Novak? There definitely are many pines of larger girth- this tallest tree is only 31″ DBH. The two largest-girth white pines I know of in the Adirondacks are a tree 61.2″ DBH (136.8′ tall) in the High Peaks Wilderness north of Mt. Ampersand and a tree 61.5′ DBH (141′ tall) in the McKenzie Mountain Wilderness. I’d be happy to get in touch if you know of others that may be even larger.
John and Daniel- the Native Tree Society measures trees all over the state. I’m sure they would know if the well known tall trees in Paul Smiths are taller. Interesting to read your comments though. Cheers..
Sorry to say, but the tallest White Pine in New York is located in the Hoffman Notch Wilderness in Schroon just past Cobble Hill on the way to the southern approach to Bailey Pond. Not hard to find if you get back in there. Best public approach would be to go to Bailey Pond and then go to the southern end of the pond facing Hayes Mountain, and follow the southern drainage out of the pond while staying on the eastern side. It’s before you get to the marsh directly in front of the cliffs to Hayes Mountain.
Whacker, that looks like a great area. That said, the tallest trees in the location you described are not much over 130 feet tall. Perhaps you’re describing a tree that has a very large trunk that really stood out to you for that reason? Trees with big trunks are not always very tall. Accurately determining height requires specialized equipment or making a climb.
Thanks for your reply Erik, but why let facts get in the way of a good story! It’s my local favorite anyway and always a good day in the woods to come across it. Keep up the good work.
Can someone tell me where the official circumference height is measured to determine a trees girth? I have a White Pine on my property in Saratoga County that is 14 feet in circumference at chest height, but the tree widens out dramatically from there to the ground, where it is more like 18 feet in circumference.
The height to measure is 4.5 feet from the ground as official “chest height”.
Zoar Valley…..
Nr Tree species Height Location Measurement Year
1 Liriodendron tulipifera (American Tulip Tree) 49.38 m South Branch Spire, Zoar Valley, Gowanda, Cattaraugus County ErikDanielsen 2018