🌳 Tree Height Calculator
Estimate the height of a tree using simple trigonometry: your distance from the trunk, the angle up to the treetop, and your eye height above the ground.
What this calculator does
This tool estimates the height of a tree without climbing it, using a classic trigonometry method surveyors and foresters have relied on for a long time: measuring the angle of elevation to the treetop from a known distance away.
How the math works
Stand a known distance from the base of the tree and measure the angle of elevation from your eye level up to the very top of the tree, using a clinometer, a smartphone angle app, or a simple protractor-and-string tool. The height of the tree above your eye level equals the distance multiplied by the tangent of that angle (height = distance x tan(angle)). Adding your own eye height above the ground gives the tree’s total height from the ground up.
Good to know
This method assumes the ground between you and the tree is level and that you can clearly sight the true top of the tree; sloped ground, obstructed views, or a leaning tree can introduce error. It is intended for general educational and estimation purposes rather than professional forestry or land surveying measurements.