Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park

If you’re planning a national park vacation this year, you may want to consider these great parks. The only place to find giant Sequoia trees is in the Sierra Nevada mountains in Nevada and California. Naturalist John Muir called them “truly amazing” and indeed they are. It’s quite a fun experience to drive through a tree! And if you want perspective as to how truly giant these trees are, be sure to get a photo of you standing in front of one (yes, that speck in the lower left corner of the photo is you!)

Some fun facts:

*They grow as tall as 25-story buildings.

*Their trunks are as wide as thirty feet.

*They can live to be more than 3,000 years old.

*Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park is the second oldest park in America (established in 1890). The only park older than this one is Yellowstone National Park.

*There are two days this year when entrance to the park is FREE: 8/25 & 9/28. The parks are open 24/7 throughout the year, weather permitting.

*There are 14 campgrounds and several lodges in these parks.

*The Sierra Nevada mountains are spectacular and include the highest peak in America, Mount Whitney (almost 15,000 feet).

*Things to do include cave tours, hiking, rock climbing, nature tours, ranger programs, kayaking, canoeing, rafting, picnicking, horseback riding, and wilderness trips.

For more information, visit www.nps.gov/seki.htm