Earl Moore Photography
Tallest NC Eastern Cottonwood Tree - Boone's Cave State Park


This is a 160 feet tall Eastern Cottonwood tree located in the forest of the Boone’s Cave State Park. Reportedly this is the tallest known Eastern Cottonwood tree in North Carolina. I don’t know how they know this — perhaps they have someone who measures the height of Eastern Cottonwood trees. The base of the tree appeared to be over 7 feet in diameter.

This photo does the tree’s height no justice as the surrounding dense brush/trees and my choice of lens didn’t provide me the option of capturing the whole tree without shooting straight up or through dense forest. Instead, I chose this shot. I like the warm morning light, the details of the branches and earthy tones against the deep blue of the sky.


11 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Steve Skinner
12 years ago

Impressive, especially for a cottonwood!

Anita Jesse
12 years ago

The photo gives a fairly broad hint as to the impressive height. Besides, all the other attributes of this one are engaging enough to fully satisfy a devoted tree lover. Do you have these clouds on special delivery sent ahead to locations? I am impressed.

Martina Egli
12 years ago

Standing next to such a tall and old tree must be moving. The warm light and the beautiful blue and brown tones are incredibly beautiful – what a great image!

Ken Bello
12 years ago

I had no idea cottonwoods got that big. It dwarfs most of the ones I see around here, and we have lots of cottonwoods. Some folks find them a nuisance, but I think they’re beautiful, with or without leaves.

Mark
12 years ago

I have a few big ones right behind my yard. Always interesting come spring time when the “snow” starts falling from these trees.

Monte Stevens
12 years ago

I like the small sign at its base and its simple message. Massive trees are difficult to capture in densely forested areas, another reason I like the isolated tree(s) in vast open vistas. You’ve stirred up some reflection as I think back over my time in Columbus, Ohio. Off the top of my head I do not remember seeing any cottonwood trees back there. Was I just caught up on the beauty of the hardwoods and missed them or did I just not see any there?

Wonder what the pay would be for someone to wander the forests measuring trees? What a great office view that would be.

James Robert Smith
12 years ago

I need to visit that park. Missed my chance today, in fact. Maybe next week.

As big cottonwoods go, that one’s not that impressive. It’s a very nice tree, and all, but compared to some cottonwood giants, it’s medium-sized. It does have height…but it lacks the volume of a truly big cottonwood tree.