Sequoia National Park

Sequoia National Park, located in east central California, is known primarily for its giant sequoia trees. It's worth noting that the drive into the Park, known as Generals Highway, is one of the most awesome mountain roads we've ever been on!

Near the Park entrance we came across Tunnel Rock, which you see in the photo. 

The tree in the photos is the General Sherman Tree, the world's largest living tree. It's in an area of the Park called Giant Forest. 

The Sherman is 275 feet tall with the first large branch 130 feet above the base. It's 25.1 feet in diameter 4 1/2 feet above the base; the diameter of the base is 102 feet. The Sherman is believed to be 2300 to 2700 years old. The volume of the trunk is 1487 cubic meters.

Giant sequoias thrive in a narrow elevation range in the Sierra Nevadas where precipitation and annual temperature variation are suitable. 

Mankind has learned a great deal about maintaining these unique trees. For example, they require forest fires or controlled burns to ensure that new trees sprout and continue growing and to prevent forest floor density from causing fires which damage the giants' trunks beyond their ability to heal. Many of the sequoias we saw show evidence of burn damage but they are able to heal most of this damage. 

The three pictures are all of the General Sherman Tree.