The position of Hyperion, the tallest tree in the worldIt is one of the best kept secrets in history. Although this majestic tree is known to be found within one of the best protected wildlife parks in the United States, for any adventurer it’s an odyssey to find it.

The Sequoias National Park, California, protects an entire colony of beautiful and ancient redwoods worthy of admiration. Among them is Hyperion, a coastal tree about 600 years old that rises about 116 meters in the sky.

Hyperion is also the tallest living being on the planet, according to the Guinness World Record. But no one can get close to him. And now from Redwood National Park they are looking for more: they urge visitors not to approach the tree, but if they do so and are discovered by the authorities they will receive a fine of $ 5,000 and six months in prison.

The area around Hyperion is particularly protected from growing popularity of the tree, which attracted curious glances from visitors and ended up damaging the area. It’s about a closed area, so it’s impossible to get there without first entering Redwood National Park. However, from the reserve they assure that many visitors have damaged the habitat leading to the sequoia stepping on areas they shouldn’t.

Redwood employees insure they found garbage and human waste on the walk to the tree. According to a statement released by the park last week, “As a visitor, you must decide whether you will participate in the conservation of this unique landscape or participate in its destruction.” Hyperion is a sequoia sempervirens discovered by two researchers in 2006.

Redwood National Park is home to some of the tallest trees in the world, including helium (114 meters) and Icarus (110 meters). Northern California redwoods grow to great heights due to the region’s climate, their leaves absorb and store more moisture, and produce gnarled shoots.

These trees live for many years, although their roots are shallower than those of other species, which makes them more delicate and weaker to impact. As the park reports in the statement, “a single visitor can make a drastic negative change in an environment.” Also, they insist the consequences of approaching to admire itthey are too expensive for Hyperion.

It is difficult to observe their dimensions from the ground and they ensure it the trunk is not too big. According to the release, “It is small compared to many other ancient redwood trees. There are hundreds of trees on designated trails that are most impressive to see from the base of the tree.”

Several videos and images reveal what this arboreal ancestor looks like, but nobody talks about the exact spot where it can be found. All this mystery is part of a collaboration in the protection of nature. Any connoisseur or tree lover who has sought their presence knows that keeping their location secret is part of contributing to Earth’s history.

It should be noted that Hyperion is the tallest living tree in the world but not the largest, a record it takes on General Shermanfrom the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park, in Tulare County, California.