There’s still time to enter Michigan’s Big Tree Hunt

This summer, Michiganders are invited to join the adventure of searching for the biggest trees in the state.
ReLeaf Michigan’s Big Tree Hunt is a free, family-friendly contest that encourages people to get outdoors and appreciate the incredibly large trees around us every day.
The contest’s deadline is Aug. 22, 2025, a few weeks left to go hunting for big trees. The 16th biennial Big Tree Hunt is more than a fun outdoor challenge; it’s a way for Michiganders to help document, honor, and highlight the state’s most impressive trees.
Learn more about the contest and enter your submissions at: www.bigtreehunt.com
The contest recognizes:
• The largest tree in every Michigan county
• The largest tree found by a Big Tree Hunter age 16 or older
• The largest tree found by a Big Tree Hunter age 15 or younger
• The largest White Pine (Michigan’s state tree)
• Potential new state champions for specific tree species
Trees discovered during the contest help update the Michigan Champion Tree Registry and have the potential to become part of the National Champion Tree Registry. Entries are also regularly featured as the Big Tree of the Week on ReLeaf Michigan’s Facebook page.
After the contest closes, ReLeaf Michigan’s team will verify the measurements of the largest trees. Winning trees and their nominators will be honored in a special awards ceremony at Chippewa Nature Center in Midland on Oct. 18. In the last contest, over 100 certificates and prizes were awarded from entries across 79 of Michigan’s 83 counties.
“Everyone has a big tree somewhere near them,” said Lindsay Lights, chair of the Michigan Big Tree Hunt. “Now is the time to look, then submit your tree before the contest ends on Aug. 22.”
The Big Tree Hunt was started in 1993 by ReLeaf Michigan, the only 501(c)(3) statewide tree planting non-profit in Michigan. ReLeaf Michigan was founded in 1988 by a group of arborists to address the depleting tree canopy in Michigan. Over the past 37 years ReLeaf Michigan has partnered with more than 700 Michigan communities to help plant more than 33,500 trees across the state.
In addition to leading volunteer community tree plantings, ReLeaf Michigan helps educate communities on the value of trees and how to properly maintain them. Studies have shown that investments in trees provide a 5:1 return for communities through the benefits they provide, many of which are often underappreciated or overlooked.
The Michigan Big Tree Hunt is an extension of ReLeaf Michigan’s educational efforts to help communities appreciate the value of trees.