Texas Tree Trails
A Geographic Guide to Significant Trees in the Dallas/Fort Worth Region
Our Work
400+
Trees Documented
25+
Years of Records
14
North Texas Counties
4
Associate Organizations
Our vision is to recognize our most treasured trees around the state. We cannot preserve significant trees we fail to recognize exist. We are committed to educating the public about the significant trees of our region and promoting their conservation as part of our natural capital and biological inventory. Through education, advocacy, and community engagement, we strive to ensure that these irreplaceable living landmarks endure for future generations enjoyment. Together, we work to:
Find and Recognize
We catalog the region’s most significant trees — by species, by historical association, by sheer size.
Measure Precisely
We measure trees to scientific standards, contributing to the Texas Big Tree Registry and the national champion-tree program.
Educate and Engage
We make sure the people who walk past these trees every day know what they are and why they matter.
We’re Looking for Your Big Tree!
Help us identify, document, and preserve the largest, oldest, and most historically significant trees in North Texas.
The Dallas/Fort Worth region of Texas is highly urbanized, yet remarkably biodiverse. Its unique geology and geography place it at the intersection of several transitional ecological regions, creating an extraordinary diversity of plant and animal life. As a result, North Texas is home to many exceptional trees that reflect the richness of this natural heritage.
Our region boasts numerous state and even national champion trees, many located surprisingly close to home. In fact, the next undiscovered champion tree could be growing right in your own backyard.
Unfortunately, the champion and historic trees that make up our urban forest face increasing threats from unchecked development and the severe storms that have become all too familiar in recent years. These pressures have transformed large areas of forested open space and wildlife habitat into concrete and asphalt, while prolonged drought and extreme weather have left once-thriving landscapes stressed and vulnerable.
Significant trees are not a renewable resource. Once they are lost, they cannot be replaced within our lifetime. By recognizing, documenting, and celebrating these remarkable trees, we help preserve their stories, their ecological value, and their legacy for the knowledge, appreciation, and enjoyment of future generations.
Featured Trees
- National Champion Texas Red Oak — Dallas/Fort Worth area
- National Champion Redbud — Dallas/Fort Worth area
- Bicentennial Bur Oak — Bob Woodruff Park in Plano
(Left) The National Champion Texas Red Oak in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
(Right) This Texas Redbud (deceased) was in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. It was the State and National Champion or Co-Champion.
(Left) The Bicentennial Bur Oak (deceased) was located in the Bob Woodruff Park in Plano, Texas. Pictured here in 2018.
Nominate a Tree
Do you know of a tree that is exceptional in size for the species? You don’t need to be a tree expert to nominate one. Browse our champion tree registry to find the largest of its species. Browse the Tree Registry.
Next, measure the size of your tree and compare its measurements with the current champion. To find out how, visit our Tree Measurement Guide.
If a tree appears to be a champion or cochampion, please submit a nomination form. Learn how to Nominate a tree.
If you like working with trees and you have some time to help, consider volunteering. Get involved as a Volunteer for Texas Tree Trails.
Made Possible by Our Associates
Texas Tree Trails is a cooperative effort of four organizations: the Texas A&M Forest Service, the Texas Historic Tree Coalition, the Trinity Blacklands Urban Forestry Council, and the Cross Timbers Urban Forestry Council. This program exists because these organizations decided their missions overlapped. We also work with other organizations dedicated to the preservation and appreciation of historic and significant trees.