Giant redwoods are the tallest of all tree species. The record breaker reaches 362 feet and is located in Redwood Creek Grove, California. Some of these giants live to be 2,000 years old.
The large redwood and sequoia tree species only grow on the western slopes of the Cascade and Sierra Nevada Mountain Ranges. These high elevation mountains stop the tree's eastward advances by blocking life sustaining moisture. Three state parks, Prairie Creek Redwoods, Del Norte Coast Redwoods and Jedediah Smith Redwoods, coupled with Redwood National Park, represent almost half of the old-growth redwood forest areas. Together, these preserves make up a World Heritage Site and a International Biosphere Reserve.