West of Redwood City, up on Skyline Blvd (CA Highway 35) is one of the oldest living creatures around – an ancient Coastal Redwood Tree (Sequoia Sempervirens). It is called the Methuselah Tree after a Biblical character that lived for 969 years. This tree somehow survived the intense logging that characterized the area in the mid 1800s and early 1900s.

According to estimates the tree is nearly 2,000 years old. This website by the Woodside Community Foundation has some excellent explanations of the environment and history. The history shows how the tree was developing, what was going on locally with the Native American Ohlone people and significant events across the globe.

Getting there is fairly straightforward. Coming from the Peninsula, take Woodside Road (CA Highway 84) up to Skyline Blvd. Take a right and go for another 5 minutes or so. A little way past the entrance to El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve, there is a small area to pull over on the right side of the road (though you don’t want the first such area). If there isn’t any parking in that area, there is also room ahead on the right and on the opposite side of the road. The tree is visible from the road and is just a few short yards away. There is also a land marker for it on Google Maps.

POST (Peninsula Open Space Trust) also has a short article and slideshow about the history of this magnificent tree.