West Virginia · National Park & Preserve trail

Burnwood Trail Stop 7: A Forest Giant

in West Virginia

Old-Growth Forest Hike Stop 7 - A Forest Giant This American beech is the largest tree by diameter and volume along the trail. Unfortunately this tree couldn’t be dated due to being hollow, but despite its size it may not be as old as it appears. Some large trees are young, and some small trees are old.

While larger trees are usually older, this relationship between size and age will not be as consistent with the oldest of trees. The graph from the study conducted by Concord University researchers shows that the relationship between tree size and age starts to fade once a tree reaches about 200 years old. Oftentimes, the oldest trees are rather small and unsuspecting; the oldest tree in this forest is a blackgum off-trail that dated to 1671 but was less than 19 inches in diameter.

Trees like this example have usually been growing under closed forest canopies for long periods of time, waiting for an opportunity to capture sunlight. The large, spreading branches on this American beech indicates that it has been growing in more open conditions free of neighboring trees competing for sunlight, allowing for decades of rapid growth. Two American beech trees smaller than this individual were sampled in this forest, each with inner ring year dates of 1829 and 1755 respectively, and the age of this large tree is probably within that range

States: West Virginia
Trail type: National Park & Preserve trail
Centroid nearest city: Greensboro, NC · 156 mi · ~4 hr drive
Centroid coords: 38.0776°, -81.0782°

About New River Gorge National Park & Preserve

National Park & Preserve

This trail is inside New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, a national park & preserve managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/burnwood-trail-stop-7-a-forest-giant.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/neri/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Burnwood Trail Stop 7: A Forest Giant and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.