This is a paper birch tree. I was able to differentiate it from a yellow, and river birch because of its bright white bark (Yellow and River Birch has more of a brown bark). However, finding the difference between Gray Birch and Paper Birch was a bit more difficult. I was able to finally idea tidy the tree as paper when I peeled the bark and it came off in nice thin pieces like paper, rather than chunks like a gray birch would. It is definitely an easier species to identify.
