Fremont Tree in Felton | Atlas Obscura

Tucked away in the redwood grove at Henry Cowell Redwood State Park, outside of Felton, CA in the Santa Cruz mountains, you could easily miss the Fremont Tree in the ancient forest. That’s because it’s located in a hidden bend off the main redwood grove loop trail and marked only by an unobtrusive sign.

The Fremont Tree looks much like its neighboring redwoods save for a small opening in its trunk and darkness beyond. Those brave enough to crawl through the hole will find themselves in the dark, quiet interior of the tree.

Inside, it’s big enough to stand up and exploration with your phone flashlight will reveal a small nook carved into the interior. Point the light upward and it will be swallowed by the hollow tunnel that soars above you into the heart of the tree.  While the tale may be apocryphal, local legend says that the tree was used as a headquarters by General John C. Fremont when he explored the Santa Cruz mountains in 1848. An undated postcard in the collection of the Santa Cruz public library reads: 

“GEN’L John C. Fremont used the hollow base of this tree as a headquarters in the year 1846. The floor space in the tree is 20 x 13 feet, large enough to crowd in 75 people. Gen’l and Mrs. Fremont visited the tree in 1888.”

 While 75 people seems like a stretch, it is certainly cozy and feel like a plausible location for a brief stay. Depending on when you visit the park you may have plenty of time inside to yourself to contemplate and soak up the wonder of being engulfed by an ancient living tree.