World’s Oldest Longleaf Pine Tree

The oldest known longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) is located in the Weymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve in North Carolina. This tree is estimated to be over 470 years old, making it one of the oldest living longleaf pines in existence.

How to find the world’s oldest longleaf pine

The oldest known longleaf pine can be found on the Boyd Tract of the Wymouth Woods Sandhills Nature Preserve. Parking is located at the Boyd House/Weymouth Center. Head to the section of the Round Timber Trail where the icon for the oldest tree is shown on the map and look on the side of the trail for 2 green metal stakes. Between the states there will be a short path directly to the tree.

The oldest known longleaf pine can be identified by a large dark scar at the base of the tree.

Map of Boyd Tract at Weymouth Woods highlighting trails and points of interest, including the oldest known living longleaf pine — Explore the Boyd Tract trail map to plan your visit to Weymouth Woods and see the oldest known living longleaf pine. Map via NCparks.gov

Towering oldest known longleaf pine stands amid a forest of pine trees under a clear blue sky.

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The Oldest Known Longleaf Pine Has Been Standing Since:

1588: The defeat of the Spanish Armada by England, a pivotal moment in naval warfare and European history.
1607: Founding of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in the Americas.
1776: Declaration of Independence of the United States.
1861-1865: American Civil War, profoundly affecting the United States’ social, political, and economic landscape.
1876: Alexander Graham Bell’s invention of the telephone.