Given a graph G = (V, E), a β-ruling set is a subset S ⊆ V that is i) independent, and ii) every node υ ∈ V has a node of S within distance β. In this paper we present almost optimal distributed algorithms for finding ruling sets in trees and high girth graphs in the classic LOCAL model. As our first contribution we present an O(log log n)-round randomized algorithm for computing 2-ruling sets on trees, almost matching the Ω (log log n/log log log n) lower bound given by Balliu et al. [FOCS'20]. Second, we show that 2-ruling sets can be solved in Õ(log5/3 log n) rounds in high-girth graphs. Lastly, we show that O(log log log n)-ruling sets can be computed in Õ(log log n) rounds in high-girth graphs matching the lower bound up to triple-log factors. All of these results either improve polynomially or exponentially on the previously best algorithms and use a smaller domination distance β.