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| Friday May 09, 2008 |
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Visiting The Great Sequoias  SEQUOIA
KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARK, CALIFORNIA, USA -- "The greatest treasure in
these United States are our National Parks." I say this all the time about
the 83.6 million acres set aside by the U.S. government for nature to take
its course and for us to enjoy.
My third grade teacher first introduced me to our national parks back in grade school, when she showed slides of her summer vacation to California's Sequoia National Park. There were shots of the General Sherman tree, considered the worlds largest, along with other massive sequoias of the giant forest. I remember we all did crayon drawings of the forest, inspired by the slides. Not quite the experience of being there, but I was fascinated by the forest and the giant trees. Twenty-five, ahh-hmm, make that thirty-five years later, I've been to almost every national and state park in my home state of California. It took me way too long to get to Sequoia National Park. However, not much has changed since third grade. The trees are still there and the magic of the woods is alive and well. Things evolve slowly in the forest. Camp/Lodge? The large dining room has floor to ceiling windows running the entire length of on wall. Being elevated above the sloping hill and looking out the window made me feel like I was floating among the trees. The food in the Wuksachi Lodge dinning room is prepared by Chef Dan Gilmore. Dan's training in the Southwest is evident in work like his Goat Cheese Tamale with Salsa Fresca and Mole Sauce (click links for recipes). On those cold evenings or after a hike a bowl of Dan's Sweet Potato and Ancho Chili Soup fits the bill. Chef Gilmore does a nice job of balancing his menu to meet the needs and palates of families traveling with small children as well as adults looking for a weekend getaway. Communing with Nature This trip took place in the early spring and much of the snow of the winter was still around and about, with one third of the park still inaccessible. Even so, I like traveling in the off season -- crowds are small, which makes communing with nature easier.
While climbing the the snow covered trail, all of a sudden we heard a loud CRACK! Followed by another. Looking in the direction of the sound we saw a house-sized mound of ice and snow tear away from the rocks and drop 200 feet to the river bed below. It was awesome to get a great view of the crashing avalanche without danger. A walk within a forest is always interesting. Just keep your eyes open and your senses aware and you'll see all kinds of things. Sure, we got to the waterfall, it was full of water and very powerful. But it's the walk through the forest that's most magical and memorable to me, filling the senses of sight, sound, smell and touch simultaneously. Local History Those curious about learning more about the Giant Forest should plan time to visit the park's Giant Forest Museum. Located amid the trees, the reconstructed structure, originally designed by Gilbert Stanley Underwood (known for his outstanding designs of the Ahwahnee in Yosemite and the Grand Canyon Lodge on the North Rim), looks right at home. There are great many hikes and sights to see around the museum, so it makes a great place to start a short day's adventure. For a weekend getaway or a vacation destination, I urge everyone with a love of nature to visit Sequoia Kings Canyon. It is nature at is grandest and not to be missed. As I write this article, the giant Sequoias of the forest are perilously close to catching fire. We can only hope and pray that these great trees, the oldest living things on earth, will be saved for future generations to enjoy.
Flying: The closest commercial airports are the small facilities in Fresno & Visalia over an hour away. Auto: Gasoline is NOT sold within park boundaries. Be sure to fill up in one of the towns near the park entrance or at two locations in neighboring national forest areas -- Hume Lake (year-round) and Kings Canyon Lodge (closed in winter). To Sequoia Park Entrance from Visalia: From Highway 99 at Visalia, take Highway 198 east for approximately 1 hour. To Kings Canyon Park Entrance from Fresno: From Highway 99 at Fresno, take Highway 180 east approximately 1-1/4 hours. There is no public transportation to these parks. Operating Hours, Seasons
Recipes from the Waksachi Lodge
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Although
there's abundant tent and RV camping in the park, I opted to stay at the
lodge located on the former site of a settlement that first began around
the turn of the century. The Wuksachi Lodge is nestled in the forest with
glorious views of the surrounding mountain peaks. Even though it was just
built in 1999, with its wood and stone structure, the main lodge looks
like it has been there for years.
And
commune we did, starting with a hike to Tokopah Falls: The trail to Tokopah
Falls starts just beyond the Log Bridge in Lodgepole Campground. It is
an easy 1.7 mile (one way) walk along the Marble Fork of the Kaweah River
to the impressive granite cliffs and waterfall of Tokopah Canyon. Tokopah
Falls is 1200' (365.8 meters) high. It was most impressive due to the
run-off from the melting snowpack in the Pear Lake region upstream.
Getting
There