Just to the north of and adjoining Sequoia NP is Kings Canyon NP. Very different scenery with a deep river canyon, steep rock faces on either side and dramatic waterfalls fed by the recent snow melt.
"Back a bit more";
Jakki just had to test the water temp;
River cutting through the rock;
Sierra Nevada mountains in the background;
We stopped to fill-up;
fortunately for us they were closed they were charging more than $6.50/gal which is steep, even by California standards.
Someone we met said the views over the park from the top of Moro Rock were fantastic, so we had to climb it;
It was worth the climb, over and through the rocks;
It's narrow and windy at the top, so the national parks service have installed a safety rail (if they hadn't I'd have been on my hands and knees);
The views were incredible;
The biggest tree (by volume) is the General Sherman Sequoia Tree. At about 1385 tons, 275 ft tall and about 2200 years old this is one big tree;
To put it in context, Jakki is standing at the bottom in the pink shirt;
View from the other side, it's just one very big tree in a grove of big trees;
However, I never saw Jakki as a tree huger;
The black scars are caused by forest fires, eventually the tree grows back over the scar;
Some are big enough to walk through;
Others you can drive a car through;
At one time (until the Seventies) you could drive a car onto this fallen tree;
Now you can only walk on it;
Sequoia = big tree.
Our first day in the forest we saw a bear;
Didn't appear to be troubled by us;
Cute face;
"What nice teeth you have... Sir"
Sorry not the best photos ever - we were a little excited.
Our first day in Sequoia.
First view of the High Sierra Mountains
Still with snow - despite it being over 90 Deg F in the valley.
Tunnel Rock;
Trekking up to Tokopah Falls;
Marmot trying to scrounge some lunch;
Cute face - but no chance.
Jakki didn't believe me when I told her the water was freezing;
