Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park - Sequoia Trees

What kind of tree can live for over 3000 years, weight over million pounds? What is the difference between Redwood and Sequoia trees?

Sequoia is famous for big things--some of the largest trees in the world including the General Sherman tree and some of the highest mountains in the U.S., including Mt. Whitney, at 14,495 feet the highest mountain in the contiguous 48 states. The park also contains over 100 marble solution caves (such as Crystal Cave) and more than 2600 lakes and ponds.

I was shocked by these giant sequoia trees, while visiting Sequoia national park. They are so tall to fit a whole tree in a picture although i have a wide lens. They are so old to  calculate how many generations for human being to reach 1000 years.

If they are not protected by the national park, these thousand year old are already gone for now. What kind of mistake that will be?

Thanks John Muir, now I know there is such old giant  tree live in the real world, not in the movie.











Some facts about Sequoia and Redwood trees

Sequoia Facts: Height: to 311 feet, Age: to 3,200 years, Weight: to 2.7 million lbs, Bark: to 31 inches thick, Branches: to 8 feet diameter, Base: to 40 feet diameter.


Redwood Facts: Height: to 367.8 feet, Age: to 2,000 years, Weight: to 21.6 million lbs, Bark: to 12 inches thick, Branches: to 5 feet diameter, Base: to 22 feet diameter.

 

Park History 

 ( the following is quoted from http://www.shannontech.com/ParkVision/Sequoia/Sequoia.html )

 

 

 

The first white man to visit the giant trees may have been Hale Tharp in 1858 who eventually settled in the area and grazed cattle in meadows. Others followed, and extensive damage to the area was done by settlers who grazed sheep (called "hoofed locusts" by John Muir), miners, and lumbermen who cut down many of the largest sequoias. A number of people began to make an effort to preserve the great trees in the area, the most prominent of which were famous naturalist John Muir, who visited the area and championed the idea of great southern Sierra national park, and George W. Stewart, editor and publisher of the Visalia Delta newspaper. Muir, Stewart, and some members of the California Academy of Sciences put together a bill to save the area as a park in 1881, but the bill died in the Senate in 1882.

However, the preservation effort was ultimately successful and Sequoia became the nation's second national park when it was established on September 26, 1890, as a result of the same piece of legislation which created Yosemite and General Grant (now Kings Canyon) National Parks. It tripled in size one week after its founding, when the Giant Forest area was actually added to the park. In 1926 the park was again expanded toward the east to include the crest of the Sierra mountains, including Mount Whitney. The last section added was the Mineral King area in the southern portion of the park in 1978, culminating an effort to save the area from development as a ski resort.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon - Cedar Grove

The campground runs as first come, first serve service. We had no problem to find a camp site, after inserting $36 ($18 per night) into the box near the site entrance, the site is ours. Piece of cake. But there is no hot water or shower at camp site. Fortunately the grant grove village is near by, there is a good restaurant, market, even post office. After a cup of coffee from the market, we set out for Cedar Grove via Kings Canyon Scenic Byway.

Zumwalt Meadow

Lush in early spring, Zumwalt Meadow provides idyllic contrast to the powerful rock formations deep in the heart of Kings Canyon.  A scenic 1.5 mile self-guided trail circles the area and offers magnificent views of high granite walls, verdant meadows, and the meandering Kings River.

A group of people taking a break at the meadow overlook deck.

Grizzly Falls

   Grizzly Falls dramatically drops some 75ft in a misty display during the    spring. When the falls' flow diminishes (often to a single narrow column) in late summer,

      

   Because this is essentially a roadside waterfall (see directions below) it's not surprising that it's not often you can enjoy the falls to yourself for any appreciable length of time.

A round hole on top of a sequoia tree

 Converse Basin Grove

Driving into Converse Basin Grove is not a fun, the road is unpaved, very dusty, and the road is very narrow. After driving into the grove for over 10 minutes, we gave up.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon - Hume Lake

After setting up the tent at camp ground Sunset which is very close to Grant Grove Village, we went out for a quick view of Kings Canyon.

 First stop, Panoramic Point, which is a 7,520 foot overlook located northeast of Grant Grove. Accessible via a short drive (road open in summer only). The first impression after arriving is view of this big rock.

Second stop: General Grant Tree

The General Grant tree at Kings Canyon is the third largest sequoia tree in the world and is estimated to be more than 3,000 years old.  Located in Grant Grove, the General Grant tree was nicknamed the Nation's Christmas Tree by President Calvin Coolidge, and remains one of the most popular attractions in Kings Canyon National Park.  Annual Christmas services are held at the base of General Grant, which provide visitors and park staff with fantastic photo opportunities and the chance to enjoy the majestic tree dressed up for the season.

Third stop: Hume Lake

Hume Lake is an artificial lake, it is on Tenmile Creek, which flows into the Kings River. The surface elevation of the lake is 1,585 m (5,200 ft). The 87-acre (350,000 m²) lake lies behind the world's first concrete reinforced multiple arch dam, designed by John S. Eastwood and constructed in 1908 by the Hume-Bennett Lumber Company. During lumber operations, the lake stored logs for an adjacent mill and supplied water for a flume used to transport the cut lumber to Sanger, California.
  
Hume Lake Christian Camps is the largest facility at the lake, which traces its origins to 1945, when the founders met in the nearby valley town of Dinuba to discuss plans for a Christian Bible camp. On January 9, 1946, 320 acres (130 ha) of lake shore property were purchased to create the camp, including the Hume Lake Hotel, store, service station, post office, 22 cottages, and 22 boats. Soon thereafter, in the summer of 1946, 670 campers and 15 volunteer staff attended conferences at Hume Lake. Since that first summer in 1946, more than 900,000 young people and adults have attended the camp for worship, religious studies, and recreation.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon - Driving from San Jose

Driving Direction from San Jose
Distance: 217 mi/349 km
Time: 4 hours
Take CA-85 S and merge onto US-101 S. Take exit 356 onto CA-152 E. Take CA-99 S. Take exit 133B onto CA-180 E. Continue to the Big Stump entrance of Kings Canyon National Park.

$10 Individual Entry Pass - valid 1 through 7 Day(s)
Per person entrance fee for a visitor traveling on foot, bicycle, motorcycle, or for individuals traveling together in a vehicle as a non-commercial, organized group. Non-transferable. Valid for Sequoia, Kings Canyon, and the Hume Lake District of Sequoia National Forest/Giant Sequoia National Monument.

Thanks for your visit 

















 

Sequoia and Kings Canyon - the 2nd

July 4th 2011, national holiday, both company shutdown for a week, it is great, let us go to a park. 

• "which one?" H asked, 
• "How about the one near Yosemite National Park called Kings Canyon National Park?"
• "Hmm, what's in there?" Suspicious voice from him. 
• "I know, not many people have been there, at least almost none from my friend cycle. It is a national park, can't be bad, and since it is not many people favorite place, it will be less crowded, it is what I am looking for". I replied. 
• "Ok, then, where to stay for the nights?" He asked. 
• "How about camping in the park?" I replied. 
• "Oh, let's go then".