El Palo Alto Park

A massive coast redwood stands alone in the park, marked by a charred hollow at its base and a heavy iron cable bracing its upper branches. This tree is the original El Palo Alto, the tall stick that gave the city and the university their names. Spanish explorer Gaspar de Portola camped beneath its boughs in seventeen sixty-nine. The tree has survived fires, floods, and the construction of the railroad line that runs just feet away from its thirsty, exposed roots.