Now that it’s October, Indiana is only a few weeks away from peak fall colors, treating Hoosiers to autumn leaves in brilliant colors of red, orange and gold.
While many will flock to Brown County State Park in Nashville to do their annual leaf peeping, there are dozens of forested locations around Indiana offering similar impressive views, some of which include the largest trees in the state.
For years, the tallest tree on record in Indiana could be found in Hamilton County, according to the Big Tree Registry, which is managed by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
This summer, however, Hamilton County’s first place spot got uprooted by a Cherrybark Oak in Vanderburgh County. Here’s what we know about Indiana’s biggest trees and where to find them.
What is the Indiana Big Tree Registry?
The Big Tree Registry, according to DNR, is a list of Indiana’s largest known specimens of each native tree species in the Hoosier State. The list is produced and updated by the DNR Division of Forestry.
Hoosiers can nominate trees for the registry, but if they grow on private property, their location will be shared with the public only with the owner’s consent. It’s possible some trees growing on private property might be even taller than what’s currently on the registry.
Where is the tallest tree in Indiana?
The tallest tree in Indiana used to be in Hamilton County, a Bitternut Hickory standing at an impressive 152 feet. The tree’s height was quoted by a DNR representative speaking to Purdue University for an October 2023 blog post, in which they urged people to find more of Indiana’s tallest trees.
And find them they did.
This year, a Cherrybark Oak has been crowned “Indiana’s tallest.” Officials in Vanderburgh County measured it at 204 feet, along with a circumference of nearly 199 inches, according to DNR’s tree registry.
“This tree was added to the list over the summer. It is located at Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve in Evansville,” DNR spokesperson Marty Benson told IndyStar.
While it might be Indiana’s tallest tree, according to DNR’s tree registry, Hoosiers aren’t likely to see it up close. Benson said the Cherrybark Oak is not accessible from the trail system at Wesselman Woods, and visitors aren’t allowed wander off by themselves to go looking for it.
Other trees around Indiana in recent weeks also have garnered attention for their size.
A species of oak stretching across Richard and Kris Schepman’s property in Jennings County might be the largest of its kind anywhere in the nation.
Indiana tree in Jennings County largest of its species in the U.S.
In September, officials with the National Champion Tree program recognized the Shepman’s swamp chestnut oak as the “largest of its species” in the United States.
The program is managed at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture’s School of Natural Resources. It started originally in American Forests Magazine as a “nation-wide laboratory for the study of forestry and trees,” according to officials.
The Shepman’s swamp chestnut oak stands at 95 feet in height with a 318-inch circumference and a canopy spread of 118 feet.
Gov. Mike Braun and DNR officials drove to the Shepman’s home outside of Crothersville and presented them with a certificate of achievement on Sept. 9.
“The Schepman family and private landowners across the state deserve high praise for their commitment to growing healthy trees like this giant in Jennings County, which I hope continues to stand tall for generations of future Hoosiers to enjoy,” Braun said in a news release.
The public, however, won’t be able to view the record-breaking behemoth up close, at least not without a personal invitation. The tree is on the Shepman’s private property.
Where is the tree with the widest trunk in Indiana?
The widest tree in Indiana, according to the registry, is a Silver Maple in Lawrence County with a circumference of 361 inches and a height of 103 feet.
How to nominate a ‘big tree’ for Indiana’s tree registry
Have you spotted a tall tree in Indiana you believe belongs on the big tree registry? The DNR has an online nomination form you can use to suggest a candidate.
Where can you find tall trees in Indiana?
To find the locations of large trees across Indiana you might be able to see up close and personal, the DNR has an online interactive tree map of its current tree champions. Visit on.IN.gov/big-tree for more information.
John Tufts covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana’s tallest tree used to be in Hamilton County. Now it’s here, but you can’t see it
Reporting by John Tufts, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
