Visiting Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park is located in the southern part of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. His northern neighbor is Kings Canyon Park. The main purpose of the visit is Giant Forest where we find 5 of the 10 largest trees in the world.
Visiting Sequoia National Park – General Sherman
The tree called General Sherman is the biggest. This tree is 84 meters high, trunk diameter 11 meters and weighs 1200 tons. The park was created in 1890 to protect these wonderful trees. It is the second oldest park in the USA right after Yellowstone. Sequoias owe their size to longevity and resistance to pests and weather conditions.
General Sherman
The oldest specimens are over 3,000 years old. The bark of the trees is fibrous and resistant to fire. Thanks to this, the fire is not bad for them, but actually helps them reproduce. Sequoia cones open under the influence of high temperature, the fire also eliminates any competition growing around the trees and fertilizes the soil.
How to get to Sequoia National Park
The Park can be visited from two sides. We reach the West Entrance from CA-180 road from Fresno. And from the south, we can go along the CA-198 road from the town of Three Rivers. Both roads are steep and winding. Before leaving, check on the Park website how conditions prevail on the route, because we will have to enter the height of several thousand meters.
Snow during spring expeditions is not strange and all cars without 4x4 drive must be equipped with chains for wheels. We can rent them at points before entering the park and if we do not have experience, the rental staff will instruct us how to set them up. Information whether chains are necessary we will get at the entrance to the Park. The height at which we have to mount them on the wheels is determined depending on the conditions by the Park’s guards.
Visiting Sequoia National Park- Bears
At all campsites there is information that warns you about these nice teddy bears. Although they are the symbol of Yellowstone, it is supposedly easier to meet them here. They should not be underestimated and kept at a safe distance. The greatest vigilance should be kept while eating outdoors because the smell of food can lure them. These clever animals have a very good sense of smell, in the park there are special places to store food and all other things that have any smell.
Lured by the smell, they can break into a car or tent. The first basic rule when meeting a bear is Do not Run! it will only encourage him to attack. In most situations, the bear will not pay attention to you. If, however, it moves towards you, it means that you have found yourself too close.
He can then defend his children or food. You should pretend to be bigger than it really is. If you are visiting the Park with a larger group, get closer to yourself raise your hands and shout loudly. If the animal releases and starts to retreat, you also slowly and without any sudden movements retreat. The first charge is usually a bluff and if you retreat in time, the real attack will not happen.
Current news about the conditions prevailing in the park you will find Here.
