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 getting outdoors and appreciating the incredibly large trees around us every day. The contest’s deadline is August 22, 2025, making Memorial Day weekend an ideal time 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

Prizes, Recognition, and a Chance to Discover a Champion

Whether you’re young or young-at-heart, the Big Tree Hunt is your invitation to explore! You can join the hunt as a solo adventurer, make it a family outing, or compete with friends to see who finds the biggest tree in your area. Please note that while the tree locations are entered into the contest, they are not automatically made public.

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 October 18, 2025. 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 August 22nd.”

Contest Led by Michigan’s Only Statewide Tree Planting Non-Profit

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 thirty-seven 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.

How to Submit Your Tree

The contest is easy to enter. The biggest tree is determined by measuring the distance around the tree trunk at 4.5 feet above the ground. Michigan’s biggest trees can be found anywhere, such as along the street, in a park or forest, or even in your backyard.

What you’ll need:

Measuring tool

Something to go all the way around a huge tree! Most people measure around the trunk by first using a string, then laying the string out and measuring the length with a tape measure.

Phone or camera

Optional: GPS locator (such as phone)

For questions, email bigtreehunt@releafmichigan.org or call (800) 642-7353. Follow ReLeaf Michigan’s Facebook page for updates and to view the Big Tree of the Week.