Myrtle Tree Trail

Off to see the largest known Myrtle Tree in the Oregon, or for that matter, in the world.  This type of myrtle is officially known as California-laurel and grows only along the northern coast of California and southwestern Oregon.

The trail zig-zags up a moderate grade.



Yes the trail is short and even half-way up, we could still see our car.

The trail ends at the myrtle tree.  It is approximately 88' tall, 42' in circumference and has a canopy nearly 70' wide. The area's fire history indicates that fire naturally occurs here approximately every 200 years.  The tree's shape shows that fire has come through the area many times over this millennium.  The base, lower limbs and upper limbs of this tree each have different ages due to the many fires this tree has survived.

 

the upper 20" limbs are approximately 200 years old based on ring counts of nearby down logs of similar diameter.  We walked around it and the trail was really steep on the back side.



The tree was full of holes.  The tree's lower primary stems are remnants of a previous fire and could be 400 years old.



The hollow base is a product of several fires and it's pyramid shape is the tree's way of protecting itself.  I would call this the front door. 

A peek inside.

There were plenty of "window" into the cavity.

And even "skylights"