Giant Forest
Encyclopedia
Sequoiadendron
Sequoiadendron giganteum is the sole living species in the genus Sequoiadendron, and one of three species of coniferous trees known as redwoods, classified in the family Cupressaceae in the subfamily Sequoioideae, together with Sequoia sempervirens and...
trees, is within Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park
Sequoia National Park is a national park in the southern Sierra Nevada east of Visalia, California, in the United States. It was established on September 25, 1890. The park spans . Encompassing a vertical relief of nearly , the park contains among its natural resources the highest point in the...
. This montane
Montane
In biogeography, montane is the highland area located below the subalpine zone. Montane regions generally have cooler temperatures and often have higher rainfall than the adjacent lowland regions, and are frequently home to distinct communities of plants and animals.The term "montane" means "of the...
forest, situated at over 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) above mean sea level
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
in the western Sierra Nevada of California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, covers an area of 1880 acres (7.6 km²). The Giant Forest is the most accessible of all giant sequoia groves, as it has over 40 miles (64.4 km) of hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trail
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
s.
Five of the ten most massive trees on the planet are located within the Giant Forest. The largest of these, the General Sherman tree
General Sherman (tree)
The General Sherman is a giant sequoia tree located in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park in Tulare County, California. By volume, it is the largest known living single stem tree on Earth...
, measures 36.5 feet (11.1 m) across the base. The giant sequoia tree is the most massive species of tree on earth, and one of just five tree species documented to grow to 300 feet in height (the others are Coast Redwood, Eucalyptus Regnans, Douglas fir, and Sitka Spruce). It is also among the longest-lived of all trees on the planet.
The area
Crystal Cave (Sequoia National Park)
Crystal Cave is a marble cave in Sequoia National Park, in the U.S. state of California. It is one of at least 240 known caves in the park.It is in the Giant Forest region, between the Ash Mountain entrance of the park and Giant Forest....
, Moro Rock
Moro Rock
Moro Rock is a granite dome rock formation in Sequoia National Park, California, USA. It is located in the center of the park, at the head of Moro Creek, between Giant Forest and Crescent Meadow. A stairway, built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps, is cut into and poured onto the...
and Crescent Meadow.
The western trailhead of the High Sierra Trail
High Sierra Trail
The High Sierra Trail is a hiking trail in Sequoia National Park, California. The trail crosses the Sierra Nevada from west to east.From the plateau of the Giant Forest at Crescent Meadow the trail travels high on the northern wall of the canyon of the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River to Bearpaw...
which crosses the Sierra Nevada to Mount Whitney
Mount Whitney
Mount Whitney is the highest summit in the contiguous United States with an elevation of . It is on the boundary between California's Inyo and Tulare counties, west-northwest of the lowest point in North America at Badwater in Death Valley National Park...
is at the Crescent Meadow parking area.
Ponderosa
Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa, commonly known as the Ponderosa Pine, Bull Pine, Blackjack Pine, or Western Yellow Pine, is a widespread and variable pine native to western North America. It was first described by David Douglas in 1826, from eastern Washington near present-day Spokane...
, Jeffrey
Jeffrey Pine
The Jeffrey Pine, Pinus jeffreyi, named in honor of its botanist documenter John Jeffrey, is a North American pine related to Ponderosa Pine.-Distribution and habitat:...
, Sugar
Sugar Pine
Pinus lambertiana, commonly known as the sugar pine or sugar cone pine, is the tallest and most massive pine, with the longest cones of any conifer...
, and Lodgepole
Lodgepole Pine
Lodgepole Pine, Pinus contorta, also known as Shore Pine, is a common tree in western North America. Like all pines, it is evergreen.-Subspecies:...
pine
Pine
Pines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
trees are common here, as well as white
White Fir
White Fir is a fir native to the mountains of western North America, occurring at altitudes of 900-3,400 m. It is a medium to large evergreen coniferous tree growing to 25–60 m tall and with a trunk diameter of up to 2 m . It is popular as an ornamental landscaping tree and as a Christmas Tree...
and red
Red Fir
Abies magnifica, the Red Fir or Silvertip fir, is a western North American fir, native to the mountains of southwest Oregon and California in the United States. It is a high altitude tree, typically occurring at altitude, though only rarely reaching tree line...
fir
Fir
Firs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range...
. Visitors often see mule deer
Mule Deer
The mule deer is a deer indigenous to western North America. The Mule Deer gets its name from its large mule-like ears. There are believed to be several subspecies, including the black-tailed deer...
, Douglas squirrel
Douglas Squirrel
The Douglas Squirrel is a pine squirrel found in the Pacific coastal states and provinces of North America. It is sometimes known as the Chickaree or Pine Squirrel, but since Chickaree is also used for the American Red Squirrel and Pine Squirrel for the genus Tamiasciurus, these alternative names...
, and American black bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
. The National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
warns visitors not to leave any food in unattended vehicles because bears may break in to steal food.
Giant Forest Village
The giant sequoia trees are first encountered on the approach from the south at Giant Forest Village - a small cluster of buildings that is dwarfed by the surrounding trees. Some of the sequoias have become unstable due to root damage caused by building development and hence visitor services in this area have been reduced, including transfer of lodging to Wuksachi Village, 7 miles (11.3 km) north. The sequoia forest extends mainly east of the village, and is accessed by a 3 miles (4.8 km) side road plus many interconnecting foot trails. These range from 1 to 5 miles (8 km) in length, leading to various named individual trees and clusters of particular importance. The area is generally quite sheltered and receives high rainfall, which is one reason why the sequoia attain such size, but these conditions are also ideal for mosquitoes, which are abundant in the forests most of the year. These provide the only real hazard - the paths are generally quite level and well shaded from the sun.History
Once the home of nearly 300 buildings, the region now has four, with no commercial activity. It is a designated "day use" area. The Giant Forest Lodge Historic DistrictGiant Forest Lodge Historic District
The Giant Forest Lodge Historic District in Sequoia National Park includes the remnants of what was once an extensive National Park Service Rustic style tourist development for park visitors. Also known as Camp Sierra, the district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in May 1978...
was designated in 1978, encompassing the main area of development in the Giant Forest grove. The development was demolished between 1995 and 2000, with day use features moving to the nearby Giant Forest Village-Camp Kaweah Historic District
Giant Forest Village-Camp Kaweah Historic District
The Giant Forest Village-Camp Kaweah Historic District is located in Sequoia National Park. It is notable as one of two registered historic districts in the park that were largely demolished as part of National Park Service efforts to mitigate the impact of park visitor facilities on the park's...
, which was itself extensively altered, and overnight visitor services moving to Wuksachi Village. The area within the grove was restored to nearly natural conditions, allowing the use of fire for forest management and the germination of new sequoia seedlings.
Access
The forest can be reached from FresnoFresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
by State Route 180
California State Route 180
State Route 180 is a state highway in California, United States, which runs through the heart of the San Joaquin Valley from Mendota through Fresno to Kings Canyon National Park, with an unbuilt segment defined west to Paicines....
or from Visalia
Visalia, California
Visalia is a Central California city situated in the heart of California’s agricultural San Joaquin Valley, approximately southeast of San Francisco and north of Los Angeles...
by State Route 198
California State Route 198
State Route 198 is an east–west state highway that connects the California Central Coast to the mid-Central Valley at Visalia, although the most-traveled portion is in the Central Valley itself....
. The Generals' Highway
Generals Highway
The Generals Highway is a highway that connects State Route 180 and State Route 198 through Sequoia National Park.-Route description:It is named after two of the largest and most famous Giant Sequoia trees, the General Sherman and General Grant trees...
connects Giant Forest to Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park is a National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Fresno, California. The park was established in 1940 and covers...
and the General Grant Grove, home to the General Grant tree
General Grant tree
The General Grant tree is the largest giant sequoia in the General Grant Grove section of Kings Canyon National Park in California and the second largest tree in the world.-History:...
among other giant sequoias.
Noteworthy Trees
- General ShermanGeneral Sherman (tree)The General Sherman is a giant sequoia tree located in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park in Tulare County, California. By volume, it is the largest known living single stem tree on Earth...
: In 1931 this tree was established to be the largest living thing in the world, hence the largest tree in the world, it has a volume of 52,508 cubic feet (1,487 cubic meters). The top of the Sherman is a dead limb that at one time served as a new leader. Its largest limb is around 7 feet (2.1 m) in diameter. The second largest tree in the world, the General Grant, is located about 27 miles away in Kings Canyon National Park. - General Grant: the second largest sequoia tree in the world and is estimated to be over 3,000 years old. Located in Grant Grove, the General Grant tree was nicknamed the Nation's Christmas Tree by President Calvin Coolidge, and remains one of the most popular attractions in Kings Canyon National Park. Annual Christmas services are held at the base of the tree.
- PresidentPresident (tree)The President Tree is the name of a giant sequoia located in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park in the United States, east of Visalia, California. The tree is believed to be at least 3,000 years old...
: Recent measurements by arborists who climbed up into the crown of the tree and rappelled down through the limbs have discovered that the President Tree is actually bigger than the General Grant Tree and is even beginning to rival the General Sherman Tree as the world's largest (citation needed). - Chief Sequoyah: Just uphill from the President tree is the massive and very impressive Chief Sequoyah. This tree is one of the most startlingly rugged trees in the forest.
- Lincoln (tree)Lincoln (tree)The Lincoln Tree is the name of a huge giant sequoia located in Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park. It is currently considered by many to be the fifth largest tree in the world. Wendell Flint, in his book "To Find The Biggest Tree", Sequoia Natural History Association stated that the Lincoln...
: This is the fourth largest tree at 44,471 cubic feet (1,259 cubic meters) - Franklin (tree)Franklin (tree)Franklin is a giant sequoia in Giant Forest, a sequoia grove where the largest tree in the world lives - the General Sherman. The Franklin tree is the ninth largest giant sequoia in the world. It was named by Wendell Flint after Benjamin Franklin...
: This tree seems to have been ignored even though it is the eighth largest tree in the world, one can only think this is because it is situated in such a massive grove with many other large specimens. This tree has a huge fire scar on one side and a very large diameter. - Monroe: The tenth largest tree in the world.
- General Pershing: The lower trunk is massive and the top is a tapering dead snag.
- Column Tree: About 100 yards (91.4 m) from the General Pershing is another large sequoia. Its lack of taper makes it the fourteenth largest giant sequoia.
- Adams Tree: From about 90 feet (27.4 m) up, the trunk is very irregular with many limb buttresses and lots of foliage, the top is a maze of limbs.
- Cleveland Tree: One of the top 40 largest giant sequoias.
- Washington TreeWashington treeThe Washington tree is a giant sequoia located in the Giant Forest Grove in Tulare County, California, within Sequoia National Park. It is named after George Washington, first President of the United States...
: Once the second largest tree in the world, but since 2003 it lost most of its trunk and size. - Hamilton: A large tree with a volume of 32783 cubic feet (928.3 m³).
- Near Ed by Ned: Another tree with an impressive lower trunk, it was measured in 1997 at a volume of 30333 cubic feet (858.9 m³).
- Hazelwood TreeHazelwood TreeThe Hazelwood tree is a giant sequoia in Giant Forest, a sequoia grove where the largest tree in the world lives - the General Sherman. It is located on a hillside just west of the Hazelwood Nature Trail. The tree had a volume of and was the 17th largest giant sequoia, before losing half its trunk...
: A large tree that has been reduced in half by lightning, the tree is still alive.
See also
- List of largest giant sequoias
- List of sequoia groves
- The House (trees)The House (trees)The House or The House Group is a group of monumental Giant Sequoias in the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park in California, United States....
- Washington treeWashington treeThe Washington tree is a giant sequoia located in the Giant Forest Grove in Tulare County, California, within Sequoia National Park. It is named after George Washington, first President of the United States...