![Sequoia National Park 14 Jul 1957 Sequoia National Park 14 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0001giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0877bcsw450hq.jpg)
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 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 Arch Rock on General's Highway - Sequoia National Park 14 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0002giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0878bcsw450hq.jpg)
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 General's Highway climbing to Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 14 Jul 1967](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0003giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0879sw450hq.jpg)
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 Crescent Meadow-Moro Rock area map - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/crescent_meadow_moro_rock_mapw940hq.jpg)
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 Base of Fire Scarred Twin (7) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0006giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0882sw450hq.jpg)
Base of Fire Scarred Twin (7) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
![Me at base of Jefferson Tree (9) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 Me at base of Jefferson Tree (9) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0008giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0884flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Me at base of Jefferson Tree (9) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
![Jefferson Tree (9) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 Jefferson Tree (9) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0009giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0885flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Jefferson Tree (9) 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 Topless tree showing how a limb takes over as top, Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0010giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0886flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Topless tree showing how a limb takes over as top, Giant Forest
Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
![Me at base of Roosevelt Tree (10) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 Me at base of Roosevelt Tree (10) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0020giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0892flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Me at base of Roosevelt Tree (10) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
![Hanging Rock (11) with Kaweah River Valley in background - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 Hanging Rock (11) with Kaweah River Valley in background - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0011giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0887flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Hanging Rock (11) with Kaweah River Valley in background
Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
![Moro Rock (12) viewed from Moro Vista - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 Moro Rock (12) viewed from Moro Vista - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0012giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0888flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Moro Rock (12) viewed from Moro Vista - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
![View from Mono Rock (12) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 View from Mono Rock (12) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0019giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0890flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
View from Mono Rock (12) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
![Moro Rock (12) stairway - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 Moro Rock (12) stairway - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0013giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0889flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Moro Rock (12) stairway - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
![Steve and David Henderson on Moro Rock (12) - Sequoia National Park 02 Jun 1968 Steve and David Henderson on Moro Rock (12) - Sequoia National Park 02 Jun 1968](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1968/sna49_0014giant_forest_grant_grove196806-6375fcflcsw450hq.jpg)
Steve and David Henderson on Moro Rock (12) - Sequoia National Park 02 Jun 1968
![Steve and David Henderson on Moro Rock (12) - Sequoia National Park 02 Jun 1968 Steve and David Henderson on Moro Rock (12) - Sequoia National Park 02 Jun 1968](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1968/sna49_0015giant_forest_grant_grove196806-6376flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Steve and David Henderson on Moro Rock (12) - Sequoia National Park 02 Jun 1968
![Dogwood - Sequoia National Park 02 Jun 1968 Dogwood - Sequoia National Park 02 Jun 1968](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1968/sna49_0066giant_forest_grant_grove196806-6379sw450hq.jpg)
Dogwood - Sequoia National Park 02 Jun 1968
![Base of Triple Tree (13) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 Base of Triple Tree (13) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0021giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0893flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Base of Triple Tree (13) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
![Great Western Divide from Moro Rock (12) - Sequoia National Park 02 Jun 1968 Great Western Divide from Moro Rock (12) - Sequoia National Park 02 Jun 1968](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1968/sna49_0016_0017giant_forest_grant_grove196806-6372_stitchbcsw940hq.jpg)
Great Western Divide from Moro Rock (12) - Sequoia National Park 02 Jun 1968
![Parker Group (15) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 Parker Group (15) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0022giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0894flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
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 Tunnel Log (16) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0024giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0896flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
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 'Burnedout top' demonstrates 'will to live' in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0023giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0895flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
'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 View through side of 'Black Chamber' (18) in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0025giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0897flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
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 Crescent Meadow (20) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0026giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0902sw450hq.jpg)
Crescent Meadow (20) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
![Log Meadow near Tharp's Cabin - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 Log Meadow near Tharp's Cabin - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0029giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0905flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
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 Tharp's Cabin in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0028giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0904flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Tharp's Cabin in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
![Tharp's Cabin in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 Tharp's Cabin in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0027giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0903flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Tharp's Cabin in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
!['Chimney Tree' in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 'Chimney Tree' in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0030giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0906flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
'Chimney Tree' in Giant Forest - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
![Huckleberry Meadow - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 Huckleberry Meadow - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0031giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0907flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Huckleberry Meadow - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
![Me at 'Squatters Cabin' - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 Me at 'Squatters Cabin' - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0032giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0908flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Me at 'Squatters Cabin' - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
!['Broken Arrow' - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 'Broken Arrow' - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0034giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0910flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
'Broken Arrow' - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
!['Broken Arrow' base - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 'Broken Arrow' base - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0035giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0911flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
'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 Crystal Cave map - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/crystal_cave_mapw940hq.jpg)
Crystal Cave map - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957
![Entrance to Crystal Cave - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1954 Entrance to Crystal Cave - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1954](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0037giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0914flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Entrance to Crystal Cave - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1954
![Spider Web Gate at Crystal Cave - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957 Spider Web Gate at Crystal Cave - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0038giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0915flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
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 Miniture Fairy Land in Crystal Cave - NPS Photo - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0039giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0916flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
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 'Marble Room' in Crystal Cave - NPS Photo - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0041giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0918flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
'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 'Organ Room' in Crystal Cave - NPS Photo - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0040giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0917flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
'Organ Room' in Crystal Cave - NPS Photo - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957
![Waterfall near Crystal Cave - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957 Waterfall near Crystal Cave - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0042giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0919flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Waterfall near Crystal Cave - Sequoia National Park 16 Jul 1957
!['Burnt Twins' (living) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 'Burnt Twins' (living) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0033giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0909flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
'Burnt Twins' (living) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 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.
![Congress Grove Walk map - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 Congress Grove Walk map - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/congress_grove_walk_mapw940hq.jpg)
Congress Grove Walk map - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
![Cross sections of the bases of General Sherman and General Grant Trees - Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks 15-17 Jul 1957 Cross sections of the bases of General Sherman and General Grant Trees - Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/grant_sherman_trees_chartw450hq.jpg)
Cross sections of the bases of General Sherman and General Grant Trees
Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks 15-17 Jul 1957
Generai Grant Grove, Kings Canyon National Park is home of the General Grant tree and others.
![General Grant Grove Map General Grant Grove Map](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1968/grant_grove_mapsw940hq.jpg)
General Grant Grove Map
![Grant Grove, David Henderson - Kings Canyon National Park 03 Jun 1968 Grant Grove, David Henderson - Kings Canyon National Park 03 Jun 1968](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1968/sna49_0069giant_forest_grant_grove196806-6361flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Grant Grove, David Henderson - Kings Canyon National Park 03 Jun 1968
![California Tree (12) in Grant Grove - Kings Canyon National Park 02 Jun 1968 California Tree (12) in Grant Grove - Kings Canyon National Park 02 Jun 1968](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1968/sna49_0072giant_forest_grant_grove196806-6356flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
California Tree in Grant Grove (12) - Kings Canyon National Park 02 Jun 1968
!['Burned Chamber' (8) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 'Burned Chamber' (8) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0049giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0925flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
'Burned Chamber' (8) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
!['Fire scarred giant' {9} - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 'Fire scarred giant' {9} - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0050giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0926flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
'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 Closeup of roots of Fallen Sequoia (14) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0056giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0932flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Closeup of roots of Fallen Sequoia (14) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
![Overgrown stump (16) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 Overgrown stump (16) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0057giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0933flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
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 'Fallen Tree' (17) root system of tree that fell on my 21st birthday Aug 22, 1953 - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0058giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0934flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
'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 August 22, 1953 fallen tree showing wood cambium layer and bark - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0059giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0935flcsw450hq.jpg)
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 Cattle Cabin (19) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0060giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0937flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Cattle Cabin (19) - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
!['The Cloister' - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 'The Cloister' - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0063giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0940flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
'The Cloister' - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
![Meadow near Congress Grove - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 Meadow near Congress Grove - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0065giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0942flcbcsw450hq.jpg)
Meadow near Congress Grove - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
!['Nursery Tree' - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957 'Nursery Tree' - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957](sna49_giant_forest_grant_grove1957/sna49_0064giant_forest_grant_grove195707-0941bcsw450hq.jpg)
'Nursery Tree' - Sequoia National Park 15-17 Jul 1957
Finishing this enjoyable visit, on July 18, 1957 I headed for the High Sierra Trail.