Sneaker Tree

Heading East on US 50 in Central Nevada I saw a cottonwood tree in the distance covered in what I thought was a flock of birds, biggish birds. As I got closer I started to make out what was going on in more detail. These birds were shoes and trainers that had been thrown up into the branches.
I'd never seen anything like this before.
The tree itself was growing out of a dried out creek. This was also full of trainers that had fallen off of the tree.

There is a story behind this tree. A young couple camped in this layby on their wedding night in the early 90s. They had a row, the woman said she was leaving, the man threw her shoes into the tree and drove off to the nearby bar. The bar tender talked him into going back which he did. A year later they returned to the tree with their first child's shoes which they hurled up into the branches. People have been doing it here ever since.

To appreciate the detail in this image the A2 print size option is recommended.

Location: Middlegate Nevada Route 50

Photographer: Christopher Hartford

Buy this print online:

up to A2+ - £80.00 Up to A3+ - £45.00 Up to A4+ - £30.00 Small Clip Frame - £8.00