Sequoia National Park 14 Jul 1957
While I was in the Navy in 1957, I took a month's leave and backpacked two weeks in Yosemite National Park and two weeks in Sequoia National Park.
To start the second half of my trip in Sequoia National Park I rode the bus from Yosemite Valley to Merced, then took the Greyhound bus to Tulare where I enjoyed a hotel room and received a mailed package of food and other supplies.
The Sequoia and Kings Canyon Company bus took me to Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park where I spent three nights in a car campground at Giant Forest.
While in Yosemite I had seen bears and deer in the valley but had no problems with them. However, in Giant Forest I had bear problems all three nights. The first night one tried to eat my pack before other campers chased him off - then around midnight, after I was in bed, people chased a bear away from the garbage cans and in his haste, he slid into the end of my sleeping bag sending me spinning.
The second night I hung my food between two trees and awoke around midÂnight to find this giant bear standing upright only six feet away, swinging at and occasionally touching my food cache. I hollered - he grunted - and we parted company.
The third night I was awakened around midnight by a bear breaking limbs off a nearby tree he was trying to climb. I was ready for new surroundings.
In between the "bear-nights" I toured all of the giant sequoia trees in Giant Forest and photographed every one. I revisited the area in June 1968 and have substituted some better 1968 pictures for 1957 versions.
Arch Rock on General's Highway - Sequoia National Park 14 Jul 1957
General's Highway climbing to Giant Forest
Sequoia National Park 14 Jul 1967
Crescent Meadow-Moro Rock area map - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Base of Fire Scarred Twin (7) in Giant Forest
Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Topless tree showing how a limb takes over as top, Giant Forest
Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Moro Rock (12) viewed from Moro Vista
Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
View from Moro Rock (12) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Great Western Divide from Moro Rock (12) - Sequoia National Park 02 Jun 1968
Dogwood - Sequoia National Park 02 Jun 1968
Base of Triple Tree (13) in Giant Forest
Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Parker Group (15) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Tunnel Log (16) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
'Burnedout top' demonstrates 'will to live' in Giant Forest
Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
View through side of 'Black Chamber' (18) in Giant Forest
Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Crescent Meadow (20) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Log Meadow near Tharp's Cabin - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Tharp's Cabin in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Huckleberry Meadow - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Me at 'Squatters Cabin' - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
'Chimney Tree' in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
'Burnt Twins' (living) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
'Broken Arrow' - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
'Broken Arrow' base - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
I took one day to hike down to Crystal Cave and take a tour.
Crystal Cave map - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957
Exploring Crystal Cave - Sequoia National Park
Entrance to Crystal Cave - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1954
Spider Web Gate at Crystal Cave - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957
Miniture Fairy Land in Crystal Cave - NPS Photo
Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957
'Marble Room' in Crystal Cave - NPS Photo
Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957
'Organ Room' in Crystal Cave - NPS Photo
Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957
Waterfall near Crystal Cave - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957
The Congress Trail is a popular paved loop that starts at the General Sherman Tree, the largest in the world, and goes about a mile south to an impressive collection of immense sequoias, a few of which look just as big as the Sherman Tree, and some unusual clusters of sequoia. The numbers on the pictures match the numbers on the map. Some of the trees have links to more detailed information and pictures
Congress Grove Walk map - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Informaton about General Sherman Tree
Cross section of the base of the General Sherman Tree - Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks 15-17 Jul 1957
'Burned Chamber' (8) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
'Fire scarred giant' {9} - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Closeup of roots of Fallen Sequoia (14)
Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Me in 'The House Group' (15)
Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Overgrown stump (16) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
'Fallen Tree' (17) root system of tree that fell on my
21st birthday Aug 22, 1953 - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
August 22, 1953 fallen tree showing wood cambium layer and bark
Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Cattle Cabin (19) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
'The Cloister' - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Meadow near Congress Grove - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
'Nursery Tree' - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Finishing this enjoyable visit, on July 18, 1957 I headed for the High Sierra Trail.
In 1968 I visited the General Grant Grove in Kings Canyon National Park
.Generai Grant Grove, Kings Canyon National Park is home of the General Grant tree and others. The numbers on the pictures match those on the map. Some of the trees have links to web pages with additional information and pictures.
General Grant Grove Map
Cross section of the base of General Grant Tree - Kings Canyon National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Grant Grove, David Henderson - Kings Canyon National Park 03 Jun 1968
California Tree in Grant Grove (12)
Kings Canyon National Park 02 Jun 1968
