Tree Height Calculator
Estimate a tree's height from the distance to its base, the angle of elevation to its top, and your eye height.
ft
°
ft
Result
Estimated Tree Height
40.5 ft
How to Use the Tree Height Calculator
This calculator uses the classic clinometer method: stand a known distance from the base of the tree, measure the angle of elevation from your eye up to the treetop with a clinometer or a smartphone angle app, and enter your eye height above the ground. The distance and angle form a right triangle where the opposite side (tangent of the angle times the distance) gives the height from your eye level up to the treetop — adding your eye height back in gives the tree's total height from the ground.
Example
Standing 50 feet from a tree with a measured elevation angle of 35° and an eye height of 5.5 feet: Tree Height = (50 × tan(35°)) + 5.5 = (50 × 0.700) + 5.5 = 35.0 + 5.5 = 40.5 feet.
Common Use Cases
- Estimating tree height for forestry, arborist, or landscaping work.
- Checking whether a tree is tall enough to reach a structure if it were to fall.
- A hands-on trigonometry demonstration for students learning angle of elevation.
FAQs
- How do I measure the angle of elevation? A dedicated clinometer gives the most accurate reading, but most smartphones have a built-in level or angle-measuring app you can sight along toward the treetop instead.
- Why does eye height matter? The angle you measure is from your eye level, not from the ground, so the triangle's calculated height only covers the vertical distance from your eyes up to the treetop. Adding your eye height back in accounts for the remaining distance from your eyes down to the ground.
- Does the ground need to be flat? This method assumes the ground between you and the tree base is roughly level. On sloped terrain, the result will be somewhat inaccurate, and a more advanced surveying method accounting for the slope would be needed for precision.