Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

The last full day we had at the Yosemite Bible Camp, we went down to Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park to see the Sequoia Groves.  Sequoia Trees are the largest trees in the world.  There are trees that have larger circumferences (African Baobabs), and they also aren't the tallest (Some Redwoods are 1 1/2 times taller than the General Sherman Sequoia tree) BUT when one takes the cylindrical VOLUME of the Sequoia trees the blow the competition away and wrest the title of "World's Largest Trees" easily from any other species.

Below are some pictures we took while in the parks:

Above:  The Sequoia Museum -  Take a CLOSE look to the right of the base of the tree.  That is Irene about 15 feet from the tree waving her arm so you can see her.  This should give some perspective on the size of the "Sentinel Sequoia", as this one is named.

Above:  Irene is standing on an exact replica of the cross-section of the base of the General Sherman Tree, the largest (by volume) tree in the world.  At its widest, its diameter is 35 feet across.

Above:  Many of the Sequoia's have burn marks on them.  For over a century they fought the natural lightning caused fires in the park.  It has now been proven that these fires are actually necessary for the Sequoia seeds to germinate.  So, they no longer put out lightning caused fires in the park.

Above:  I just pointed the camera up at the top of the tree on this picture.  On the General Grant Sequoia it is 129 feet from the ground to the first branch.

Above: Jim is spreading out his arms 20 feet in front of the General Grant Sequoia, the second largest tree in the world (by volume).  He has about an 8 foot wingspan from tip to tip.

Above:  Look Ma, we're twins!  These 2 trees grew together at their base.  If you look right in the center of the trees at the base, there is Irene, all 5'9" of her standing in front of it.  Again, this should give you a tiny sense of the immensity of these trees.