Have you heard of the giant Sequoia trees, but never believed they were real? “A tree cannot grow that large, they must be from a Hollywood movie!” “No way a tree is large enough to drive through!!”
They are real, and they are giant!!
The Giants in the Forest
In the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, trees stand taller than you may have ever imagined possible. Reaching heights of 164 to 279 feet (50 to 85 meters). With trunk diameters of 20 to 26 feet (6 to 8 meters), they command respect, weighing over 600 tons (more than 1.2 million pounds). These ancient giants, often 1,800 to 3,000 years old, will leave you in silent awe.
When you first see one of these giants in the forest you blink your eyes a few times, not trusting what you’re seeing. “Is that real??” you ask yourself as you get closer and closer, trying to comprehend all that is in front of you.
These trees are native to the area within Sequoia National Park and Forest, Kings Canyon National Park, Yosemite National Park and the surrounding areas.
As you can see by this photo, they are large enough to stand inside of, with plenty of room to move around.
The Mark Twain Tree
It the late 1800’s, many people didn’t believe such giant trees were real — so scientists and promoters cut down a tree specifically to ship massive slices across the country and overseas to show the public.
The Mark Twain Tree – estimated to be 1,300 years old and approximately 16 feet across – was felled in 1891 to display cross-sections in museums — one in the American Museum of Natural History (New York) and another in the Natural History Museum (London).
The loss of such a majestic tree sparked widespread outrage, especially among conservationists like John Muir, and helped fuel the early national park movement.
The General Sherman Tree
The General Sherman Tree is the largest tree by volume in the world! With a height of ~275 feet (84 meters) and a trunk volume: ~52,500 cubic feet (1,487 m³), it is a massive icon within the park.
To see this yourself, it’s recommended to enter the park at the Ash Mountain Entrance via Highway 198, just east of Three Rivers, CA. Park at the Sherman Tree Main Parking Lot, located off the Generals Highway about 2 miles north of the Giant Forest Museum.
From the lot, it’s about a 0.5-mile downhill hike (easy to moderate, paved path with interpretive signs).
Return hike is uphill — benches are available along the way.
During the Summer months there is a free Sequoia Shuttle service running from Giant Forest Museum and other stops to a drop-off near the upper Sherman Tree Trail — much shorter and flatter walk than from the main parking lot.
You Just Want To Hug Them
You simply cannot fathom how large these trees are until you try to wrap your arms around them. And this is a small tree!
Where is the best place to see these majestic members of the forest? Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park are two adjacent national parks in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains of California. They are jointly managed by the National Park Service. Your America the Beautiful National Park Pass provides you with entrance into the parks.
The Sequoias grow in groves. Here’s where you can see the more famous ones:
Sequoia National Park (≈ 30 Groves)
- Giant Forest (largest grove by biomass; home to General Sherman)
- Atwell Grove
- Crescent Meadow Grove
- Muir Grove
- Lost Grove
Kings Canyon National Park (≈ 10 Groves)
- Grant Grove (home of General Grant Tree, second largest tree in the world)
- Big Stump Grove (site of the Mark Twain Tree)
- Redwood Mountain Grove – largest grove in the world by area
- Buena Vista and Evans Grove
Overall Thoughts
We were amazed by the size of these forest giants! We’re told the Redwoods are larger, so we’re looking forward to seeing them someday, too.
The roads in the park are narrow and winding, so if you get car sick easily, be prepared!
This is a beautiful park, and we’re glad we got to visit. Due to the snow, some of the interior roads were closed, and the area was fogged in, but it was still very beautiful and worth the effort. We will certainly return here someday to hike more trails and see more sites.
