El Palo Alto is a coast redwood tree growing on the bank of San Francisquito Creek at the boundary between Menlo Park and Palo Alto, a short walk from the train stations serving both cities. The tree is ancient — estimated at over 1,000 years old — and was used as a navigational landmark by Spanish explorers in the 18th century, who named the area after it. The city of Palo Alto takes its name directly from this tree.
A small park surrounds the base of the tree, accessible from both sides of the creek. The tree itself is tall but not especially wide compared to the giant sequoias further north; redwoods grow their mass upward. The location, wedged between a railway line and a suburban road, is unprepossessing, but for anyone interested in California history or the cultural origins of Silicon Valley, visiting the tree that named the region has a certain logic. The surrounding creek corridor has been restored as a riparian habitat.