The Land Where Giants Dwell: Sequoia National Park

Sequoia National Park is home to the largest living thing on the planet.

The tree, General Sherman, is tucked away along Generals Highway, about five hour’s drive from San Diego. Although not the tallest tree in the world, it is considered the largest due to its volume.

Each year, General Sherman continues to grow, adding enough wood to equal a 60-foot-tall tree, one foot in diameter. It is estimated to be over 2000 years old. The Giant Forest, named in 1875 by John Muir, is where you’ll find it and other “Big Trees,” the sequoias, members of the redwood family.

If you have only one day to spend in Sequoia National Park, you might also want to check out Crystal Cave, one of more than 200 caves in the park boundaries, or you can visit Moro Rock. If you have a week or more and really want to torture yourself, you can tackle the 70-mile hike to Mt. Whitney. Of course, Mt. Whitney is accessible in one or two days’ time from the eastern trailheads, but why miss out on a perfectly good walk in the park?