Thursday 4/19/2012
Our 2nd day in Fresno, CA., we headed toward Kings Canyon National Park. Wild flowers lines the center and sides of the highway. |
We took Hwy. 180 into the park. |
Here again, notice how the clarity is low. |
We reach 2000 ft., |
and enter into the Giant Sequoia National Monument once again, but from the northern route. |
View at 3000 ft. |
Close up of previous picture. I think the town of Orange Cove is below. Notice the layer of smog above the mountains. |
At 4000 ft we reach blue skies above. |
View back at the smog filled valley below. |
We reach the snow level at 5000 to 6000 feet. |
We came to the intersection where if you go south, you go to General Sherman Tree. The road was now open. We continued on Hwy. 180 toward Kings Canyon. |
We stopped at the Visitor Center and checked out the exhibit and got our maps and information for the park. |
We were on our way to General Grant Tree and Grove, when we saw this tree along the road. |
Looked like a good picture tree to us! |
Joe wanted to show how wide it really was. |
At General Grant Grove, we walked the small loop around the grove. |
No this is not just another downed tree stump. |
Because of the high tannin content the sequoia trees take years to decay. This fallen sequoia tree is well over 100 years old. |
The hollow tree was used as an employee camp when the grove was set a side as a National Park in 1890. |
Homesteader Thomas and Israel Gamlin used it as a house and tavern to serve visitors in the area. The U.S. Cavalry used it as a stable for their horses. |
View of the Fallen Monarch from the other side. |
Heading back through. |
Large open window in the hollow tree. |
It even has a sky roof to bring in natural light. |
Many people have left their signatures behind. |
The loop path around the grove was much easier to walk around than the previous week at General Sherman Tree. |
It was a warm day and snow was melting every where. |
As we came around the loop, I took a side photograph of the Fallen Monarch. |
we headed back to our Honda under a grove of sequoia's |
Mallery was waiting for us in the car. |
This fence was closer to the grove of sequoia's. |
But these sequoia's are babies compared to General Grant Tree. To be continued: |
Those trees are amazing!
ReplyDeleteTiffany,Yes they are, but you have to see them with your own eyes to see how big they really are!
ReplyDelete