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I’ve Seen Big Trees But the Giant Trees of Sequoia National Park Are Mind-Blowing!

Last updated on August 18th, 2016 at 08:14 pm

The Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park is located some 60 miles east of Fresno, California. Sequoia National Park is the home of the largest and oldest tree in the world, a California redwood Hyperion, the General Sherman Tree.

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Sequoia is sometimes referred to as the hidden park. Eighty‐four percent of this not so well‐known park can only be explored by horseback riding or walking/hiking. Most visitors take their time to enjoy the ride and the magnificent views.

History

Sequoia National Park was established in 1890. It is America’s second oldest national park and is home to native wildlife. Most of its area is wilderness and has no roads. The water that runs throughout the park come from snow.

Interesting Facts about the Giant Sequoia Trees

    • The General Sherman Tree is 2,100 years old and stands tall at 247 feet, and is still growing. It is the largest tree in the world.
    • This tree has lived for a long time because nothing seems to kill it.
    • Sequoia tree can withstand fire even if it happens on its core.
    • Not even tree diseases can kill it, or people who have tried to harvest them.
    • The Sequoia trees are the most massive forms of life on the face of earth, and one of the oldest livingthings on earth that date back even to ancient times.
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    • Nowhere else in the world are the trees so large.
    • Five of the ten largest trees in the world are found in the Giant Forest.
    • Some coastal redwoods to the north are taller but none compare in width and size to the trees of the Giant Forest.
    • The branches of the General Sherman Tree are as large as regular trees.

Things To Do

Explore The Giant Forest

There are very few places where you lose the perspective of what is large and small. The size of these trees is something your mind cannot grasp. A person who walks up to the trees is dwarfed like an ant crawling at one’s foot. Only then do you realize that what you see as something normal is a thousand times larger than the person on its base.
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Take The Crystal Cave tour

Sequoia National Park is known not only for its giant trees but also for its secret cave system right under the famous trees. There are more than 80 caves in Sequoia National Park. Crystal Cave is the biggest and most explored, both on foot and on a crawling expedition. Pictures in Science books do not do justice to the stalactites, stalagmites and mineral formations in the caves that have been thousands of years in the making.

cave tour sequoia national park
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Picnicking

There are picnic areas throughout the park. Observe proper food storage so as not to attract bears and other wildlife.

Go Horseback Riding

Horseback riding is one of the greatest ways to see and explore the park. Bring your own horses or participate in the Guided horseback rides. Check out the several pack stations in the park.

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Go Camping

Most campgrounds are on a first-come, first-served basis. There are fourteen campgrounds in Sequoia National Park. Potwisha, Buckeye Flat, Lodgepole, Dorst Creek, Sunset, and all group campsites accept reservations. Maximum of six people are allowed per standard site.
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Tips for camping trips

      • Reserve early up to six months in advance for standard campsites (1-6 people) and up to one year in advance for group sites (7-50 people). Make reservations here .
      • Campgrounds often fill on Saturday nights in July and August.During summer holidays, campgrounds fill up earlier than usual.
      • All food, trash, and scented items must be stored appropriately (in metal food storage boxes) to protect you from attracting bears. These metal food storage boxes are provided at each campsite.
      • There are no RV hookups in the parks.
      • Whether you have reservations or you self-register, you can check in anytime (24 hours a day). Check out is by 12 pm (noon).

Sequoia National Park truly offers a rewarding experience to every park visitor.

Watch more about this through this video:

Resources:

https://www.nps.gov/

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