A big day filled with big things. Specifically trees. Specifically Sequoias. Specifically Sequoias in Sequoia National Park! These trees are wider than any bedroom I have ever had at their base. Big honking trees and so many of them, too! Did some shorter hikes after the long hike I had done the day before. Luckily, all the biggest Sequoias, like General Grant, are easy to reach on short hikes.
My plant focus has gotta be the Sequoias. It would be blasphemy to pick something else. The Sequoias in the park are especially the Sequoiadendron Giganteum, which are not found on the coast with the other Redwoods. These are endangered and are the largest trees in the world by volume. They are also among the oldest living organisms in the world, some as old as 3,200 years. Their bark is fire-resistant, and their cones often open after wildfires, allowing them to reproduce. These fires also clear the ground of competing plants. This is why fire suppression has decreased their population, though the Forest Service does use controlled burns to try to improve conditions for these trees.
They are crazy cool and rare trees that can’t be found anywhere else, and I’m glad I got the chance to get up close with these ancient giants. Though the roads beckon for more adventure, so off we go to continue the journey!
The Fools Journeys 
Leave a comment