Why is Sequoia National Park special?

Created to protect the giant sequoia trees from logging, Sequoia National Park was the first national park formed to protect a living organism: Sequoiadendron giganteum.



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Sequoia National Park is known for the giant sequoia tree forest. The last remaining sequoia trees in the world are scattered along a section of the western Sierra Nevada Mountains. Giant sequoias are among the longest-living organisms on the planet, and can grow to 5,000 – 8,000 feet in elevation.

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Visitors to the Giant Forest use a lot of the same words to describe it, including awe-inspiring, amazing and a must-see. The large sequoia grove is located between the Marble and Middle Forks of the Kaweah River and is home to more than 8,000 sequoias – the most of any grove in the park.

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Here are a few ”know before you go” travel tips to make your trip to Sequoia a little easier.
  1. 1 – Know your roads. ...
  2. 2 – Check the weather. ...
  3. 3 – If possible, make reservations. ...
  4. 4 – No elevators. ...
  5. 5 – Bring a flashlight. ...
  6. 6 – No cell service.


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The mid-sierra zone (5,000-8,000 ft or 1,524-2,438 m) creates ideal conditions for giant sequoia growth. Mild winter and summer temperatures, deep winter snowpack, and a rich fire history have made it possible for the world's largest tree to get its biggest in these parks.

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Redwood National Park Facts
  • California Experienced A “Logging Boom” As Redwood Became The Wood Of Choice.
  • A League Was Established To Save The Redwoods.
  • The Tallest Redwood Tree Is Six Stories Taller Than The Statue Of Liberty.


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Redwoods are so huge, a single tree itself can be habitat for an incredible number of species. When redwoods shed their foliage, much of it accumulates in the branches and decomposes to become soil, or canopy soil, where other species of plant seeds and fungi spores can sprout.

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While General Sherman is the largest currently living tree, it is not the largest historically-recorded tree. The Lindsey Creek tree, with more than 90,000 cubic feet (2,500 cubic meters) almost twice the volume of General Sherman, was reported felled by a storm in 1905.

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Located in the Giant Forest surrounded by mature giant sequoia trees, tunnel log fell across the road nearly a century ago. National park visitors and tourists can come drive their vehicles through this fallen giant sequoia. This is a must stop spot inside the park.

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The best time to visit Sequoia National Park is June through August, when the weather is the most stable.

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Weapons (including, but not limited to, BB, Pellet and Paint Guns, Bow/Arrow, Slingshots, Bear Spray and other compressed gas irritant devices) are illegal to possess. Discharge of a firearm or weapon is prohibited within Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.

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Redwoods also boast some of the world's oldest trees—California redwoods can live more than 2,000 years, while their close relatives, the giant sequoias, have been recorded at nearly 3,500 years of age.

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Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks offer some of the best spots to see the behemoths, including the General Sherman tree. Stand below it or take a free park shuttle in the summer to see its size from a distance. Grant Grove and Giant Forest house the largest sequoia groves in the park and are a must-see.

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Oldest Trees in the World Methuselah is a Great Basin bristlecone pine (pinus longaeva) that is currently, as of this writing, a mind-bending 4,854 years old. Its exact location is kept secret for its safety, but it lies somewhere among the aptly named Methuselah Grove in the White Mountains of eastern California.

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