Trees of the Adironacks: White Pine

Explore the Adirondacks:
Elders Grove Trip
Sunday, 19 July 2015

Elders Grove. Photo by Sandra Hildreth. Used by permission.Join VIC naturalists from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM for a visit to the Elders Grove in nearby Easy Street. White Pine #103, one of about fifty Eastern White Pines in this twelve-acre site, has a circumference of 13.1 feet and a diameter at 50.1 inches. It is 160.4 feet tall – the tallest tree on record in New York State. 

The trees in the grove are all about the same age. For this reason, it is thought that the trees may have germinated in the wake of a windstorm or other disturbance that struck the region between 1675 and 1680, over three centuries ago. The trees in the grove, also known as the 1675 Grove, are among the oldest in the East.

Although the trees surrounding the site have been logged, the elders were spared, possibly because early loggers were unsure of property lines. The Elders Grove stand is now part of the Forest Preserve, where logging is prohibited. Some of the trees in the grove have died of old age.

Meet at the VIC, and we will travel together to the trail head. The program costs $20 per person or $15 for Friends of the VIC.

Photo: Sandra Hildreth

























Explore the VIC

The Paul Smiths VIC offers a wide variety of programs throughout the year to educate and inform Adirondack Park residents and visitors about the natural wonders of the Adirondack Mountains. You can help support these programs by joining the Friends of the VIC. More information on Friends of the VIC memberships

Explore the Trails

The VIC trails are free and open to the public, from dawn to dusk, spring through fall. In winter, the trails are open to cross-country skiers and snowshoers for a fee. Day or season passes may be purchased.