Corkscrew Tree

Corkscrew Tree is a coast redwood in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, just off Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. Several massive stems twist around one another in a shape that makes this a memorable short stop if you like the odd growth forms of old redwoods.

It is one tree with multiple trunks, not a cluster of unrelated trees: buds from a basal burl grew into new stems around the mother tree's base. The exact reason for the twisting is still a mystery. Step back from the base and look at the trunks together; the corkscrew shape reads more clearly from a little distance. For a photo, frame the stems against the canopy instead of aiming straight up from between them.

The tree is just north of Big Tree Wayside along the parkway. A short spur leads to it; one visitor account measures the out-and-back approach at about 0.1 mile, while the National Park Service lists it as a spur of the Prairie Creek Trail. There is roadside parking, but watch for the small sign, which visitors say is easy to miss.