Well, wow, those are some big trees at Sequoia National Park (hours of operation).
Itinerary:
- 9:00 am Left Visalia heading toward Sequoia National Park stopping for a few errands
- 11:00 am Enter Sequoia National Park
- 11:22 am Drive by Tunnel Rock
- 12:24 pm First major stop at Auto Log (road work in the park delayed us a bit)
- 12:52 pm Stopped at Buttress Tree
- 12:55 pm Drove under Tunnel Log
- 1:12 pm Began ascending Moro Rock
- 1:32 pm Reached Moro Rock Summit
- 1:50 pm Reached base of Moro Rock Trail
- 2:30 pm Started walking General Sherman Trail
- 2:57 pm Reached General Sherman then headed back shortly after
- 4:30 pm Left Sequoia National Park and drove to Santa Clarita to stay the night
Our Adventure:
Visalia is true California countryside. Long, straight country roads lined with a variety of orange, lime, and olive trees. Row after row of trees in virtually every direction. Their dark green leaves pop along the yellow grass. Absolutely breathtaking!
Sequoia National Park
Leaving Visalia, you enter Three Rivers, which is the adorable town that holds the National Park. Cute houses and Sequoia themed stores and inns line the winding road to the park. However, it is the Kaweah Watershed that drew my eyes most. As the summer nears its end, the water was rather low, but the water lines along the edges show the extreme variance in water held throughout the year.
Switchbacks
Upon entering Sequoia National Park, the road begins to ascend the mountainside in a series of tight switchbacks. The National Park Service was repairing one side of the main road that runs into and out of the parks southwest corner, so we did run into a minor delay here. As you drive up, many turnouts are available to view and photograph the scenic vistas. Tunnel Rock is along this section.
Auto Log
Our first full stop was at this massive, fallen tree called Auto Log. In years past, cars were able to drive on top of enormous Log. Nowadays, this is not allowed due to heavier cars and the wood rotting over time. However, you can still walk the entire length tree and view the cut-off point where cars parked in yesteryear.
I recommend walking the path behind Auto Log. There are a few giant Sequoias you can walk up to and take photos of that most people do not seem to notice. It’s great if you are looking for shots with no people in the background. Colonel Young Tree is just a short distance behind.
Buttress Tree
Next, we headed further down the General’s Highway and stopped to see Buttress Tree. Buttress Tree is another massive fallen tree whose base is pointing directly at the road. Most of the roots are still intact, so it provides a new perspective on their growth.
Tunnel Log
Right down the road is the famous Wawona Tree, now known as Tunnel Log. In 1881, a hole was cut through the tree so cars could drive through it. The tree since fell. Fortunately, they cut a new tunnel through the side. The tunnel is 8 ft high so most cars, SUVs, and trucks can easily fit through.
Moro Rock
Next, we climbed over 350 steps to the summit of Moro Rock. As you ascend the Granite Dome, there are some truly epic views of the Great Western Divide. National Park info boards note how the view there is constantly changing. The surrounding mountains are granite which weathers away in sheets over time. What we see today may change by tomorrow. Current, future and past generations will all experience a different view of the Great Western Divide.
Both the trip up and the trip down Moro Rock offer an excellent experience. Trees growing off of the side, broken rocks, wildlife all can be expected to be visible along the route. Despite being 6,725 ft at the summit, I did not find it to be particularly difficult to look over the edge, and I am terrified of heights (although I challenge myself with heights frequently).
General Sherman – the Main Event
The main event is General Sherman, aka the Largest Tree on Earth. It is the widest and heaviest, not the tallest earning its title for overall volume and weight. The humongous tree does require a bit of a walk to reach, but it’s worth every step.
Words cannot express how big this tree is. Comparing to a 21-story building, the branches on it were as big as full-grown maple trees. The area right around General Sherman is fenced since huge branches tend to fell without warning. You are still very close I’d say within 10-20ft along the wall. You have to back up a bit just to capture the entire tree in one shot.
Sequoia National Park In Comparison
Overall, Sequoia National Park has been the highlight of the trip thus far. If you had to choose between Sequoia and Yosemite, to me, hands down Sequoia is the winner. The trees at Yosemite pale in comparison to the monsters at Sequoia. With that said, if trees aren’t your thing Yosemite offers waterfalls, waterbeds, and excellent views. Both are great trips if you have the time.
Tomorrow we will be heading to the Los Angeles area for another adventure.
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