Giant Forest – Sherman Tree Trail - Member Hike
| Hike Name: | Giant Forest – Sherman Tree Trail |
|---|---|
| Country: | United States |
| State: | California |
| Nearby Town: | Fresno |
| Rating: |  |
| Directions: | Take CA-180 E out of Fresno for 52 miles to the Big Stump Entrance of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. After the entrance, turn right on CA-198 W/Generals Highway. Drive 26 miles and turn left on Wolverton Road. Follow the signs to the summer parking area. |
| Total Hike Distance: | 1.00 miles |
| Hike Difficulty: | Easy |
| Permit Required: | No |
| Hike Type: | In & Out, Backtrack Hike |
| Hike Starts/Ends: | Summer Parking Area |
| Trails Used: | Sherman Tree Trail |
| Backcountry Campsites: | No |
| Backcountry Water Sources: | None |
| Management: | National Park Service |
| Contact Information: | Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks 47050 Generals Highway Three Rivers, CA 93271-9700 Phone: 559-565-3341 Fax: 559-565-3730 http://www.nps.gov/seki/index.htm |
| Best Season: | Spring, Summer, Fall |
| Users: | Hikers |
| Road Conditions: | Secondary Paved Roads |
| Hike Summary: | This is an easy stroll along the paved trail that leads from the summer parking area to the General Sherman Tree. According to one of the informational signs along the trail, the General Sherman Tree is the biggest tree in the world due to the volume of its trunk. Apparently, a few other tree trunks are bigger around, and some trees are taller, but no other tree has more wood in its trunk than the Sherman Tree. The sign goes on to indicate the tree’s top is dead, so the trunk no longer gets taller. However, its volume keeps increasing. Each year the tree trunk grows wider, adding enough wood to equal another good-sized tree. Its girth is 109 feet around at the ground. Based on information in the park brochure, sequoias grow naturally only on the west slope of California’s Sierra Nevada range, while redwoods grow naturally only in a narrow strip along the Pacific coast. Also from the brochure: Sequoia Facts: Height: to 311 feet Age: to 3,200 years Weight: to 2.7 million lbs. Bark: to 31 inches thick Branches: to 8 feet diameter Bases: to 40 feet diameter Redwood Facts: Height: to 367.8 feet Age: to 2,000 years Weight: to 1.6 million lbs. Bark: to 12 inches thick Branches: to 5 feet diameter Bases: to 22 feet diameter |
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