Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks

Sequoia National Park was our first stop during this summer vacation.  This park was beautiful and a lot less crowded than Yosemite.  The pictures don’t actually do the size of the Sequoia trees justice – until you see them in perspective with the girls in the picture.  

Found this patch of ferns while driving through the Sequoia Giant Forest.  Couldn't pass up the opportunity to photograph :-).

In order to truly appreciate the size of these Giant Sequoia's...you must view them in context below. 

Tunnel Tree

General Sherman's Tree

275 ft high

103 ft circumference at ground

General Sherman's Tree is known as the largest living thing on this planet.  It is estimated to be over 2500 years old.

In 1879, it was named after American Civil War general, William Tecumseh Sherman, by naturalist James Wolverton, who had served as a lieutenant in the 9th Indiana Cavalry under Sherman.

As with most of the Sequoia's, you must appreciate the size of this tree in context.  Notice the wide angle view with Ashlyn at the trunk.  Then the closeup.  It takes at least 5 minutes to actually walk around this monster!

Moro Rock

A granite dome with a steep 1/4-mile (.4 km) staircase to the summit (300 foot /91 km elevation gain).

Ashlyn and I hiked this to view the back country from the top.  I thought the black & white captured the magnitude and depth of this view.  Plus we were absolutely exhausted after making the climb (at least I was).

Thorpe's Log

Kings Canyon National Park

Kings Canyon is grouped with Sequoia, but still considered a separate park.  We did not have as much time to visit inside the Canyon.  The Giant Sequoia known as General Grant's Tree (below) is actually part of a Sequoia grove in Kings Canyon.

It was named in 1867 after Ulysses S. Grant, Union Army general and the 18th President of the United States (1869-1877).

President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed it the "Nation's Christmas Tree" on April 28, 1926. On March 29, 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower declared the tree a "National Shrine", a memorial to those who died in war. It is the only living object to be so declared.