By the Numbers
Apple picking, corn mazes, and pumpkin patches make fall an exciting season—and those fun activities are more glorious against the backdrop of stunning fall foliage. Despite being a desert state, Utah becomes surprisingly colorful when the leaves start changing.
Take a stroll through these vibrant stats to discover more.
92 | The number of types of trees in Utah with leaves that change color in the fall. |
From the ash to the zelkova, Utah is home to two hundred and forty-two species of tree, both native and introduced. One hundred and eighty-two of those species are deciduous, meaning the trees shed their leafy coats when the weather starts cooling down, but only ninety-two of these species have the colorful characteristics that draw a crowd.
Sources: treebrowser.org, slcgov.com
14,000 | The approximate number of trees on BYU campus. |
BYU has a vast tree spectrum that contributes to its dreamy fall landscape. But there’s more to the trees than a pretty trunk: a team of six to eight student arborists, typically from BYU’s landscape management program, works with BYU’s full-time arborist to care for each individual tree on campus, along with the trees at the MTC and both of Provo’s temples.
Source: Max Darrington, BYU’s head arborist
33% | The approximate percentage of the United States’ landscape covered by forests. |
There are an estimated one thousand different types of trees in North America, with the red maple being the most common. And in 2004, Congress officially named the oak America’s national tree. Utah has fifteen different types of forests, which are defined by the tree that is most common in the area. Pinyon-juniper woodlands cover the most ground in Utah, and aspen forests, covering more than
1.4 million acres throughout the state, are the second most common.
Sources: forestry.usu.edu, fs.fed.us/rm/ogden/pds, statesymbolsusa.org,venerabletrees.org
3,430 | The number of feet the Alpine Loop gains in elevation. |
This twenty-mile drive winds through gorgeous canyons in the Uinta National Forest, drawing countless admirers every year. The loop is particularly popular during September and October, when vibrant fall tones light up the canyons. Visit utah.com/scenic-drive/fall-colors to find an extensive list of scenic routes for your next adventure.
Sources: utah.com, visitutah.com, cyclepass.com
123 | The number of types of trees on BYU campus. |
BYU campus boasts an impressive arboretum for students and visitors to enjoy. The large number of different tree species makes fall a colorful season on campus. The bald cypress is among the most unique because it is a deciduous conifer, turning a bright red-orange in the fall. The sugar maple transforms from green to yellow to orange and finally to red. And let’s not forget the quaking aspen, a famous tree native to Utah with green leaves that turn a shimmering golden color.
Sources: treetour.byu.edu, arborday.org
1 | Oldest tree species in the country. |
Until 2013, the oldest tree was believed to be Methuselah, a 4,847-year-old bristlecone pine tree growing in Inyo County, California. Since then, an even grander tree has been discovered in the White Mountains of California. Also a bristlecone pine, the unnamed tree is more than five thousand years old. If trees could talk, imagine the things this granddaddy would say.
Source: newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/06/29/top-5-oldest-trees-in-us
