The Giants

Believe it or not, this tree is still alive! Over its lifetime of a couple of thousand years, fire and other calamities have hollowed out much of the base, allowing a great look at just how big these trees are.
Believe it or not, this tree is still alive! Over its lifetime of about two thousand years, fire and other calamities have hollowed out much of the base, providing a unique perspective of just how big these trees are.

Finally, I have learned the difference between the redwood trees and the sequoia trees. The coastal redwoods are the tallest trees while the sequoias are the largest by volume. The sequoias may not be quite as tall as the redwoods but they are much wider. I have been to the redwood forests a few times and admired the beauty of these tall beautiful trees but I’ve never seen a sequoia. Until now.

 

 

The General Sherman tree is the largest (by volume) current living tree in the world
The General Sherman tree is the largest (by volume) currently living tree in the world

Sequoia National Park is beautiful! It takes about an hour’s drive from the southern entrance of the park before you reach the Giant Forest, but once you are there you know it! The sequoias are simply magnificent giants! And some of them are thousand’s of years old. You suddenly feel very, very small amongst these beautiful trees.  They have a beautiful reddish bark, reach high to the sky, and smell wonderful. There’s simply nothing at all like it!

Momma and one of the three cubs that were foraging in the meadow
Momma and one of the three cubs that were foraging in the meadow

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There are many trails to wander and hike within the park to immerse yourself in this endless beauty. Sometimes, you may get distracted by bears (like we did). Along the Big Trees Trail, we encountered a mama bear with her three cubs. They were very adorable and we spent too much time trying to capture their cute antics on camera.

Moro rock. This was our lunch view one day.
Moro rock. This was our lunch view one day.

Then there’s Moro Rock, a large granite dome that you can climb on and see spectacular views of more granite mountains. Yes, I love granite! But mostly, it’s a beautiful forest to walk, ponder, and contemplate our place amidst these gentle giants.

We loved our peaceful walks in the forest
We loved our peaceful walks in the forest

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