King's Canyon and Sequoia National Parks

Today we headed for King's Canyon National Park.  These pictures were taken as we headed up the winding road (Highway 180) into the park.  

We stopped first at the Grant Grove Village Visitor Center where we had our passport book stamped.  Then we looked around the Visitor Center and Gift Shop.  We took a look at the exhibits and watched a video about King's Canyon National Park. 

Gift Shop and Cafe

Grant Grove Visitor Center

Yesterday we saw the enormous Sequoias in Sequoia National Park but we ran out of time so our next stop  was back in Sequoia National Park.  We wanted to see the area where the sequoias were forested.  We pulled into the parking lot of the Big Stump Picnic Area, however, we had lunch in the truck because it was too chilly to sit at an outside table today.

After lunch, we headed down the Big Stump Trail.  Yesterday it was so awesome to see all the huge trees, some of which have been alive since before the birth of Christ.  Today, as we walked through this area and took pictures of these huge stumps, I just felt a little sick.   To think that these giant trees stood the test of time, fires, earth quakes and whatever nature threw at them and continued to grow until man decided to saw them down.  And, for what, to build homes or some incredible furniture.  No.  The wood from the sequoias isn't really good for much.  They were cut down to make grape stakes, lumber and shingle shakes.  I guess I must be a environmentalist at heart because I thank God for them and the fact that the foresters were stopped from cutting them all down. 

Lee By The Shell Of A Sequoia Damaged By Fire

Lee Looking Up At The Burnt Sequoia

Guess which of these cones makes the huge Sequoias.  If you guessed the SMALL one, you'd be correct!

We walk through this culvert and end up back in the parking lot

The trail through the stump area was supposed to be a mile long but it sure seemed a lot longer than that and it seemed it was all up hill!!  We were all alone on this trail today and after seeing two bears yesterday, I was a bit concerned and, dumb us, we forgot to take our bear spray with us!  However, we just made sure we were making plenty of noise and we didn't spot any wild life at all except a couple of squirrels who weren't too happy with us being in their area.

Then we headed to King's Canyon and the magnificent views from above the canyon and then later as we drove along the canyon floor.

Scenes Driving To The Canyon

 

 

We are at the bottom of the Canyon

Now we've headed back up

Then as it turned to evening, we headed back to the Grant Lodge Restaurant where we started our journey today and had some dinner before heading home.  

It was another wonderful day of exploring!