What’s happening: Hunters of a different nature have until late summer to track down the state’s largest trees as Michigan’s only statewide tree nonprofit solicits participation in its 16th biennial Michigan Big Tree Hunt. With the competition entering its final stretch, the Ann Arbor-based ReLeaf Michigan still needs public entries from 15 counties to achieve representation from each of the state’s 83 total counties.
What it is: The Michigan Big Tree Hunt takes place every other year, a statewide campaign to catalog Michigan’s largest trees. The program relies on volunteer tree hunters to go out and find the state’s biggest trees, rewarding those winning participants at a special awards ceremony later this October at the Chippewa Nature Center in Midland.
How it works: Participants are encouraged to go out and find their county’s largest tree, which is determined by measuring the circumference of its trunk. Trees must be living and accessible for contest verification, with the contest ending on Friday, Aug. 22. All participants are invited to the awards ceremony in October, with prizes awarded for the largest tree found in each county, the largest tree by age group, the largest White Pine in the state, and potential state champions for each type of tree found.
What it does: The intent of the biennial contest is multi-layered, encouraging Michiganders to get outside and appreciate the natural world while also helping state arborists catalog Michigan’s most special trees. Michigan currently only has seven champion trees registered on the National Champion List, which is significantly down from the 23 registered champion trees it had in 2012.
Champion trees are the largest found of their species, and registered by region, state, and nation. Entries are accepted online or via paper entry forms found at more than 200 libraries, state parks, and natural areas throughout the state.
Visit
Michigan Big Tree Hunt online to learn more.
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Courtesy of ReLeaf MichiganBig Tree Hunt map of entries as of March of 2025.
68/83: According to ReLeaf Michigan, the contest has so far garnered 256 entries from 68 of Michigan’s 83 counties. While entries are still welcome in those counties already covered, the organization is searching for entries from those counties yet to be represented in the contest. Those counties include Alger, Baraga, Branch, Hillsdale, Lake, Luce, Menominee, Montcalm, Newaygo, Ontonagon, Osceola, Otsego, Presque Isle, Schoolcraft, and Tuscola.
Why it’s important: "Our goal is to receive submissions from every county in Michigan," said Lindsay Lights, chair of the Michigan Big Tree Hunt. "This contest is more than just finding big trees — it's about inspiring people, especially young explorers, to step outside, connect with nature, and see their world in a new way."
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