The Grove of Titans is a redwood grove in Del Norte County, Northern California, which includes several massive Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) trees, some being the largest known redwoods in terms of wood volume. The largest Coastal Redwood tree in the grove by volume is Lost Monarch. The largest known single stem Coastal Redwood that resides there is Del Norte Titan.[1]
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The Grove of Titans (unofficially named) was discovered May 11, 1998, by Stephen Sillett, and naturalist Michael Taylor in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park.[2] The location of the grove has not been disclosed to the general public. The discovery implies that Sillett and Taylor are the first to realize and declare the significance of the grove, not that they are the first ones to have seen the grove. In fact, many people pass by these trees as they hike the popular Mill Creek Trail, as the Grove easily can be seen--and accessed--from the trail.[3] The grove's botanical significance is near equal with Atlas Grove to the south.
Names of the named largest redwoods in this grove include Lost Monarch, El Viejo del Norte, Screaming Titans, Eärendil and Elwing Aragorn, Sacajawea, Aldebaran, Stalagmight and Del Norte Titan.
Several abundant understory plants are California sword fern - Polystichum munitum and Redwood sorrel - Oxalis oregana.
The Grove of Titans is in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park of Northern California, south of Highway 199. The closest town is Crescent City, California. The location was described by author Richard Preston as "the bottom of a hidden notch-like valley near a glade." The exact location within the park has not been revealed for fear that excessive traffic will damage the grove.