A very precise 72-foot-long slice was cut into a large loblolly pine at Harris Lake County Park in Wake County, and it’s suspected the culprit was a powerful lighting strike.
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A photo shared by the park on social media shows the surgical cut went through the bark into the wood beneath. Closer inspection revealed a shorter scar was even higher up the tree, according to Joanne St. Clair, assistant park manager of Education and Programs.
That was likely caused by the same bolt of lightning, she says.
A lightning strike can pack about 300 million volts, according to the National Weather Service.
“As the lightning bolt travels through the trunk of the tree and into the ground, it boils sap and explodes cells, causing this long, straight split,” the park wrote in a Sept. 14 Facebook post.
“About 50% of lightning struck trees die soon after, but some are able to adapt and survive despite the damage. Hopefully this tree will continue to live a long and productive life despite its new scar!”
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The tree is estimated to be about 104 feet tall, 23-inches in diameter, and stands at the entrance of the beginner mountain bike trail, officials said.
It’s unclear when the strike happened, but the scar was discovered Aug. 28 by park staff member Steve McMurray.
Harris Lake County Park is heavily wooded and covers 680 acres on a peninsula near the Shearon Harris Reservoir in western Wake County.
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This story was originally published September 16, 2026 at 9:15 AM.