Sequoia National Park And Three Rivers

CA-180 E in Yokuts Valley

The road is hugging the mountainside but it’s not yet really twisty but I am back in “when was the road’s last straight section” territory. I start to think about what type of road I like driving best. This may be it. I can do 40-50 mph, tight-ish bends, uphill and downhill sections so not too flat – and if you mess up, you’re driving off a mountainside into a valley below… 🙂

There is a section of road today that was as challenging as anything I’ve ever driven. The drive into the Sequoia National Park was brilliant fun. A taster of things to come…

Sequoia National Park

Sequoia and Kings Canyon NP leaflet

I enter the Park through the western Big Stump Entrance, again using my Annual Pass. The road is called the Generals Highway and a mile or so after the entrance I come to the Big Stump Picnic Area. In the parking lot I read the map and newspaper I got given on entry to the Park. I discover the Big Stump is a bit of walk from the lot. But I also spot another ‘General’ tree, the General Grant, further up the road. I hadn’t noticed this on pre-trip planning. So I change plan to drive to General Grant. The Highway splits a few miles up the road with Hwy 180 continuing as the Generals Highway on the left turn I take. There is then a short drive off the Highway into General Grant Grove where the tree is.

The reason to visit the Park is that you hopefully know that sequoias are big trees. But OMG. To see them ‘in the flesh’ so to speak it’s incredible just how big they are. After parking in the lot I walk to General Grant, the third largest tree in the world by volume. It has a 40 foot diameter trunk, at ground level, and is the widest known sequoia in the world.

There’s a small loop walk around the Grove where Grant is. There are other large sequoias in this part of the forest plus younger ‘babies’ and some fallen giants that have passed away. Thankfully the walk is mostly shaded from the sun by the trees’ canopies. Inevitably at such a high altitude the temperature has dropped a bit but it is still 86º F / 30º C. Over its route before the descent at the eastern end of the Generals Highway, the road rises and falls with the mountain contours but the average altitude is about 7000 feet.

Overlooks

Redwood Mountain Overlook panorama

Back on the Generals Highway the next stop is the Redwood Mountain Overlook, its grove of sequoias being one of the largest groves of the world’s largest trees. I eat my lunch sandwich here, overlooking the great scenery out into the distance. Moving on from that Overlook the next stop is Kings Canyon Overlook. This expanse of the Sierra Nevada is one of the largest areas of wilderness in the USA.

Kings Canyon Overlook panorama

As I drive between my stops the road is lined with trees, huge rock boulders and areas of scrubland. It’s an ever changing landscape of beauty. The tree density varies enormously along the road, many areas having a few trees, many having lots.

The road is mainly flat but often curves and bends to the mountain’s shape. There are many long straight sections of road up here. Next up it is ‘Big Daddy’ – the General Sherman tree, the biggest tree on Earth by volume. Note it’s not the tallest or widest.

General Sherman

The parking lot to walk to the tree is a mile or so off the Highway. There is then a bit of a ‘trek’ to reach it. That’s an understatement. The path down is wide and paved with concrete, with many sets of steps in places, but the path also has a serious gradient, or drop in height, along its length. Fine for going down, I’m not looking forward to walking back up.

Beforehand I’d read it was a half mile walk but it seemed longer to me. I did not read or hear anything though about the path’s gradient beforehand. But what can you do? You’re not going to come all this way then not go and see Big Sherm are you? So on my way down when I see some of the old grannies and fat slobs working their way back up slowly, it made me think that I’d better just get on with it. Thankfully most of the path is sheltered from the sun by the tree canopy.

General Sherman is impressive when you reach him. Plus there are other huge trees all around in the grove. It’s a wonder of the world, I think, seen by my very own eyes. There’s a wonderful sign at the bottom of the path as you start the ascent back to the lot: “Slow down and enjoy yourself”. So I do “take my time” as the sign suggested. I’m not too hot and bothered by the time I make it back to the car.

General Sherman Tree – spot the people

A few miles down the Highway is the Giant Forest Museum. It’s interesting but not very big. I read the average visit time was 45 minutes but I did it in about 20, seeing every exhibit.

Tunnel Log

Next up, Tunnel Log. There’s no cell service this high up. Back in the UK Maps started playing up when I tried to construct today’s route as one single drive. It forced me to break the route up into about three separate drives. The end of the first was the Museum. But I can’t load the second, the route to Tunnel Log, without cell service.

Generals Highway west of General Sherman Tree

Luckily the newspaper I got on entry comes to the rescue. It mentions Tunnel Log and where it is. I head off down the Generals Highway again but half a mile further on it is clear I’ve missed the turning. So I stop, turn around and go back up.

There’s a road right next to the Museum that I guess must be it, namely Crescent Meadow Road. The paper map didn’t indicate it was right next door, but whatever. I drive up this road and a few miles on Tunnel Log comes into view. A large fallen sequoia (in 1937) has had a large section of its trunk cut out so that you can drive underneath it! What fun… watch me drive under Tunnel Log on YouTube.

Re-tracing my steps back to the Highway, the descent starts in earnest. Oh my, what even more fun… This side of the mountain is a much tougher drive than the way up. For only about the second time on this trip there are sequences of 15 and 20 mph corners to negotiate.

Amphitheater Point

I get a good run at pushing the limit for a while but then the Amphitheater Point Overlook arrives, so I pull into the turnout for a look. It is a stunning vista to take in, shoot some photos and admire its magnificence. When I set off again the road remains as challenging as before. It’s a brilliant drive. The cars I catch up to all pull over as soon as they can to let me past.

Amphitheater Point Viewpoint panorama

Until that is I come across some dickhead driving a large minibus who completely ignores numerous opportunities to let me pass. I push as close as I dare to drop an unsubtle hint, but he just ignores me. After about ten minutes I decide I had a good run further up the mountain and give up, settling back to follow him.

Three Rivers

Sentinel, Giant Forest Grove

Then bugger me, as soon as we pass out of the National Park at the Ranger Station, the bastard pulls over! By then however I’m entering Three Rivers which is where the hotel is, so maybe not that much further to go. Still no Maps to guide me so I’m keeping my eyes peeled for my hotel, which I hope is by the side of the road.

I know the hotel is on this road, I just hope it’s visible and not hidden away. This is all part of the pre-trip planning when I can generally remember where I’m going. Also the previous night’s route review, just to make sure there are no last minutes issues along the way. I pass a couple of bars I’d identified but yet again I later find out both are closed on Mondays… my bad, again.

It is clear however as I drive on that Maps estimate of walking distance to both was wildly optimistic. Plus I can see there are no sidewalks. It could have been a potentially quite dangerous walk, but it’s irrelevant as they are closed.

Pizza And Beer

Last night I did find the Pizza Factory, a four minute walk up from the hotel. So that might be my only option. The Comfort Inn & Suites Sequoia Kings Canyon comes into view on the left. As I get out of the car, the 98º F / 37º C heat hits me. It’s damned hot.

The hotel is OK. It’s a spacious room, clean but probably needs a facelift. I get sorted out then walk up the road to Pizza Factory at 7.45 pm. It is very similar to the Yosemite View Lodge operation. Order inside, sit down at a table and wait for the pizza. The beer is of course over-priced. The pizza is similarly over-loaded like Yosemite but it’s cooked, hot and tasty. There was a Mexican restaurant next door but I though pizza would be a safer choice.

It is still very warm indeed as I walk back to the hotel. The beers in the fridge have cooled down after being boiled in the car all day. So after a couple of them and doing some diary, I hit the sheets.

What a day. It took a while to get onto some good driving and once in the Sequoia National Park the giant sequoias were amazing to see. As was the general scenery and environment they live in. I thought this evening was going to quiet but it was none the worse for that. Just part of the ever changing pattern of a road trip.

Tomorrow is another transition day but I hope it might spring a surprise having reviewed the route again. A bigger problem however exists with the heat wave affecting southern California that presents some problems for the forthcoming days. A cause for concern indeed…

* Cavatina by John Williams (the theme from the movie The Deerhunter)

** Bugs by Pearl Jam

*** Higher Ground by Stevie Wonder