Sequoia & Kings Canyon – West of Death Valley National Park, California
This is the second oldest national park in the United States established in 1890 to protect the Big Trees in Giant Forest, including the General Sherman Tree, the world’s largest living thing. Sequoia also contains the Mineral King Valley and Mt. Whitney, the highest mountain in the US outside of Alaska.
Kings Canyon National Park and Sequoia together have a total of over 863,700 acres. The park receives the most visitation in the summer with August being the busiest month.
The Giant Sequoia is the largest living thing on earth, at least one tree species lives longer, one has a greater diameter and three grow taller, but none is larger. No place else on earth does the sequoia grow naturally except only on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada at an altitude of between 5,000 and 7,000 feet. With 75 groves of these stately trees growing it is truly a spectacular occurrence. The General Sherman tree is between 2,300 and 2,700 years old, with its largest branch being almost 7 feet in diameter. On an annual basis the General Sherman adds enough wood growth to make a 60 foot tall tree of usual proportions. Not a small feat for sure!
Because of the composition of the tree it is resistant to insects and fungi which kill off most of the other trees in the Sierra area. Piles of sawdust left from where sequoias were cut for lumber over 100 years ago still remain! The Oldest known sequoia lived more than 3200 years. The main cause of death for one of these stately trees is toppling, with a shallow root system with no tap root strong winds can topple the tree.
The General Grant Tree is a living memorial to the men and women of the United States who have given their lives in service to their country. It was named a National Shrine in 1956 by President Eisenhower. Each year during the Christmas ceremony at the tree, park rangers place a large wreath at the base of the Grant Tree, remembering those who have died for our country.
There is an annual Christmas celebration around the tree each year. The Sanger Chamber of Commerce continues to sponsor the annual Christmas “Trek to the Tree” on the second Sunday of December at 2:30. For more information on this event please call 559-875-4575.
The canyons in the park are deep and barren and the peaks are high into the sky with King Canyon reaching a depth outside the park of some 8.200 feet from river level up to Spanish Mountain’s peak. Kern Canyon in southern Sequoia National Park is deeper than the Snake River’s Hells Canyon in Idaho or the Grand Canyon in Arizona. It goes to 6,000 feet deep and several other canyons in the area reach 4,000 feet in depth. Sierran canyons show both stream cut, V shaped profiles and U shaped profiles characteristics of glacier gouging.
The wildlife in the park are mule deer, mountain lines, Pine martens, fishers, and wolverines. There are squirrels and other smaller animals too along with black bear, marmots and pikas. Coyotes, gray fox, bobcats, raccoons, and ringtails patrol the foothills.
Crystal Cave was discovered in 1918 where the stalactites formations are rich and wonderfully varied in size, form and color.
Information: 47050 Generals Highway, Three Rivers, California 93217
Phone: (recording with information for visitors) 559-565-3341
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