Day 7 - Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Park

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Wow what a day. So I am going to have a two parter today. The first portion of this post will be King's Canyon National Park. Breakfast was a nice yummy start. I set up the GPS for Kings Canyon and off I went. 



Now first, the original plan was to go up through Kings Canyon and then come down through Sequoia. BUT no . . so a portion of the lower road was closed for repairs. Been here before, Hello Glacier National Park. Anyway I had a few stops planned out and I adapt on the fly. 

Though I wasnt planning on doing the adapting my GPS had me to. Instead of taking me down the normal two lane road it took me down through the backways. I am pretty sure it saved a whole 3 minutes. I would fix this on the way back and it was a much more safe feeling drive if still twisting and winding.

First stop was General Grant Tree and Grant Grove. Over 107 feet around at its base, America's Christmas Tree stands a towering 270 feet. The 3,000 year old Sequoia is the 2nd largest in the world.

Words don't do these trees justice. The Redwoods are massive and taller but these trees with their giant trunks and branches. It is amazing.




The one picture shows the fire scar at the rear of the tree. These trees are amazingly resilient. There are a few other cool things in Grant Grove. A tree you can walk through the trunk and the Centennial Stump.




After Grant I headed across the street and down a back road that seemed like lots of people missed. I was heading to Panoramic Point. It was tight 1 and 1/2 lane road but no one was coming down. Finally got to the parking lot and there were two maybe three cars. I packed my stuff and headed over to the loop trail to the top. 

The views were amazing. 





I then decided to follow Park Ridge Trail at the top to Park Ridge Fire Lookout. I was unaware of HOW far that was. And will admit I had to turn around to make it back to head out to my next stop. But Park Ridge has some stunning visuals and was worth the extra walk. 

While walking the ridge a helicopter flew over. I am not sure what they were doing. But the sound of the rotors made me think back to the stories in the Last Season. Lots of time helicopters were used in rescue missions. Of course they are also used in a ton of other things around the park. Getting things to these areas would be really hard.

I also just walking in my the front county as I was. I was really shocked to just think how easy it would be for me to get lost or hurt here and probably not be found right away. Thinking of people in the insane backcountry. It is just hard for me to fathom.

So after Panoramic Point we hit our next roadblock of the day. I was suppose to head out Generals Highway to Zumwalt Meadow. NO WHERE ON ANY APP OR SITE did it say that should be a problem. So what happened you ask? WELL? I don't know. But the road was closed when i got there and it dumped my on Ten Mile Road, not well named. No way that was ten miles. Felt like 50 winding through the backwoods down to Hume Lake Christian Camp. Yes that is a thing. There were 100's of you men and women, okay boys and girls doing summer camp stuff at a lake in the middle of King's Canyon. In fact if you look closely at the first panoramic shot above you can see the lake.

Eventually the road led back to General's Highway and I managed to keep on trucking to my next stop the General Sherman Tree. I had read a few things and had decided to take a trail from Lodgepole Visitor Center. Which by the way is currently a shell as its being renovated along with everything in that parking area. Back to this final hike. I had thought I was going to run out of time early in the day but I decided to try and take the Lodgepole Trail to Sherman Tree Trail to Congress Trail and then back. It would be long but worth it.

Then I got there and this where the 2nd part of this blog is going to start because I am now in Sequoia and well...

Ce fut de loin la meilleure journée de mon voyage grâce à Félicia et Alex. (Google Translator may have failed me) but that was for my new friend from Quebec. Granted they both spoke French. So for both of them. What I think it said was This was by far the best day of my trip thanks to Félicia et Alex.

I started up Lodgepole Trail remarking on how there were pieces of an older concrete interspersed with fallen trees everywhere. My guess was maybe it was an older road from the early park days and it had been repurposed into a hiking trail. 

Up the trail ways I was almost ready to turn around. I am so glad I did not. Ahead was a roaring mountain stream ... river?



Across the stream a young man was standing with a backpack while a young lady was crossing the wooden makeshift bridge. She succeeded with flying colors. I was now at the point of great they did now I should probably give this a good try. First things first put away everything, water bottle, adventure hat and my camera. Thankfully I had remembered to put the waterproof bag in the backpack. 

Once settled I headed across after letting them get a bit ahead just in case something bad happened. Nothing bad did happen and I made it across. 

As I came around the bend I ran into them. As I came closer the girl spoke. In a French accent she said the bag for the camera was a good idea. 

Let me just say those words changed my day. I would have merely said afternoon and kept walking. I just don't engage people very often. Thought I have done it more often this trip. So if Félicia had not said anything the day would have been drastically different. I also was shocked to see her babies. Those would have made me cry if they had gotten wet.

But because she did, I stopped and started chatting. We started hiking again. And for the next 7 miles or so, at least according to my Fitbit.I joined Félicia and Alex on their journey. It was a great time. She is from Quebec and currently lives in Vancouver and works in film production. Alex is from Houston then to Massachusetts and now to Marin in the Bay Area. I did not pry into their friendship but it seems they have known each other awhile and are great friends. Maybe someday my communication skills will get better and I will ask more questions. I always think of tons AFTER a conversation is over.

So we wandered through the trails and came to the great tree itself. As Alex put it, it is kind of humbling when you see it. Thirty six feet around and a whopping 275 feet tall. It is just massive when you are next to it.




They truly exist though, I did not make them up.



That is in front of the Sherman Tree. So during this entire adventure we chatted up a lot and it was really nice. I love these trips but sometimes solo trips can be well lonely. And this was a nice, amazing, not nice, absolutely amazing change of pace.

Yet the days fun was not over. We continued wandering back to the trail to walk back to our cars and what did we find? G22




This cub was only 15 to 20 yards away tops. It even came closer and people were like awww. I was just waiting for mama bear to come roaring out of somewhere. But it seemed fine with all the attention it was getting. 

After that we finally found the trail back. Now we could have taken the bus back, just as we could have taken the bus here. But as we all agreed where is the fun in that? There are so many encounters and new friends you would miss that way. 

Like this one.



They were just sitting there eating along the trail. And with that I was complete. I mean what a great day. We continued our walk passing these patches of flowers that looked like some sort of fairy carpet. 


As we neared the cars, an eagle eyed Félicia made sure to point out where Alex had left his shoes. Yes, Alex had been walking the trail barefoot. Feet of Steel!

Then the final obstacle back over the makeshift bridge. One rescued water bottle later all three of us were safely on the other side and heading to our cars. 

Once there I must say I felt like giving them a big hug. They really had my day. Thank you Félicia  and Alex. 


Location: Kings Canyon National Park, California, USA

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