July 7, 2015 • 76

An American Treasure: Sequoia National Park (I)

"Reach for the Sky"

“Reach for the Sky”

This past weekend, we celebrated Independence Day by taking our daughter to Sequoia National Park (and a portion of Kings Canyon National Park.) We spent a few days exploring this amazingly beautiful national treasure. The parks are humongous, so we really only scratched the surface in terms of exploration. But…we will certainly be back soon to continue exploring (it’s only 3 hours from where we live.)

The best part of the trip? Well…it was the fact that I had the opportunity to spend quality time with my family.

Please enjoy the photos, and some of my fun little facts that I learned while visiting the park. 🙂

P.S. More photos and facts later this week.  Thanks for being a part of my blog!

"Vista of Beauty"

“Vista of Beauty”

Two Parks in One. Situated in California – Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are contiguous national  parks that have been jointly administered by the United States since 1943. (Sequoia was established in 1890, whereas Kings Canyon was established in 1940.)

"Bridge Our World"

“Bridge Our World”

Pure Wilderness. Approximately 97 percent of these magnificent parks is untamed wilderness.

"Clouds Over Paradise"

“Clouds Over Paradise”

A Grand Mountain. Mount Whitney – located on the eastern border of the parks – stands at 14,494 feet (4,418 meters). It is the highest peak in the United States (outside of Alaska).

"The Forest of Wonder"

“The Forest of Wonder”

Trees in the Sky. General Sherman – a sequoia tree – reaches 275 feet (84 meters) into the sky! It has an estimated volume of more than 52,000 cubic feet.

"The Spider Cave"

“The Spider Cave”

Hot. In July 2007, Sequoia National Park recorded a record high temperature of 118°F / 48°C. Wow!

"Colorful Woods"

“Colorful Woods”

Categories: Ideas, Inspiration, Photography

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76 replies »

  3. Pingback: California: A Surreal Reality (#Photos #Hyper-Realism) | The Screenplay of Life Chronicles

  12. Thank you for liking “Otherworldly” and “Red Geraniums.” Great photos and interesting facts! 🙂 They are beautiful parks. I did not know it could get so hot there, and I am glad to see that the drought has not turned all the wild plants brown. 🙂

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  19. Wow Wow Wow, this park is amazing beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences from there. Great to have a family trip out in the nature, so healthy for the kids 😀
    We are close to those temperatures as you write about, but now in Spain. It is so hot, too hot.

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  20. Beautiful photos…..they look like paintings. I recently wrote an article about my secret wish to be an archeologist and got sidetracked with the Sequoias. I live in New York but really want to travel there. This post just reaffirms that idea to visit the National Parks. Thank you.

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  21. I have heard so much about this place & its trees. I wanted to go there when I last visited the US. Unfortunately couldn’t fit it in, but managed Yosemite, which is equally beautiful I must say. Stayed in a cabin in the woods. Managed to see a few sequoias there & was mesmerised by its sheer size. Makes us feel so small in comparison 🙂
    My son was not too happy with the trail walking, till I decided to charge him up. Asked him to look out for bears 😀 (we don’t find them much in India). The rest of the trip was easy.
    Glad that you had a great trip & thanks for sharing the beautiful pictures. Brightened up my day!

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  24. Beautiful Kevin.. you leave me spell bound with your photography and creativity to narrate the facts. I really loved the park and so happy to know you spent a lovely time with your family as well. Will look forward to the 2nd installment. Keep it up my friend 🙂 keep smiling

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  25. Great photos Kevin … I actually grew up in California (Mission Viejo) so seeing these pics made me a little homesick! Glad you had such a wonderful time there and I’m sure your daughter would love visiting such an untouched place again.

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    • Thanks, Deborah! We did have a great time, that’s for sure. Even though my daughter protested all of the walking and decided to lay down on the hiking trail. haha Next year – I am aiming to camp. Just have to convince my wife. lol

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  32. You have captured the park beautifully, Kevin. My family used to camp in Sequoia every year when I was a kid and I have such fond memories of General Sherman, Crystal Cave, campfire shows, and s’mores! Someday, I’ll take a trip out there again and relive those summer days.

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