Why are the West's living record-holders still standing?
The tallest tree, the biggest tree, and a bison herd that never left. Three living record-holders a park ranger would show you — with a source for every claim.
Coast redwoods are the tallest trees in the world — a trunk can grow taller than 350 feet. Some of the oldest living redwoods were seedlings two thousand years ago.
Who says so: National Park Service (opens in a new tab)
Giant sequoias are the largest trees in the world and can live up to about 3,400 years — a seedling from before ancient Rome could still be standing today. (They are not the world's oldest trees, though. That title belongs to others.)
Who says so: National Park Service (Sequoia & Kings Canyon) (opens in a new tab)
Yellowstone is the only place in the United States where bison have lived continuously since prehistoric times. Fossils, tribal oral histories and early travelers' stories all say they were there.
Who says so: National Park Service (Yellowstone) (opens in a new tab)
Note: a “theory”, “folklore” or “outlook” is not settled fact. Always check who is saying it.
📊 Sources for the rankings mentioned in this note (links to the original data and retrieval dates) are on each quiz page below.