Sequoia and Kings Canyon share miles of boundary. Though created by separate acts of Congress, (Sequoia was first and is actually the second national park created in the United States), these two parks are now managed as one park. While Yosemite is certainly more famous (because of the geological wonder of Yosemite Valley), Sequoia and Kings Canyon certainly have as much to offer the naturalist-bent tourist.
With elevations ranging from 1,500 feet along the valley side to the awesome 14,494 foot high peak of Mount Whitney, there is a lot of variation in geology fauna and flora. The giant Sequoia trees have an indescribable impact at one's first view of them. By contract, the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail traverses the alpine-like peaks and valleys of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range. May and June brings out what seems like an endless array of flowers and breathing that air up there leaves one completely
exhilarated.
General Grant Tree
Proclaimed a National Shrine in 1956 by President Eisenhower, this is the only living memorial to the American men and women who have given their lives in service to our country. More:
General Grant
King Canyon
King Canyon maximum depth exceeds 8,200 feet from the river level to the peak of Spanish Mountain. This is deeper than the Hells Canyon (Snake River) in Idaho, or the Grand Canyon (Colorado River) in Arizona. More:
King Canyon
Plant Life in the Parks
Primarily due to the waide variance in elevations, there is wide variety of plant life in the parks. While the giant Sequoias are best known to most people, the centuries-old blue oaks are impressive in their own way. For an excellent write-up on the plant-life in the parks, see:
Plant
Life
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Wild Life in the Parks
If you haven't heard about the black bears you better get educated before entering the parks. While not a threat most of the time, they certainly can be -
especially for those folks foolish enough to offer the bears food. Warnings abound and there has been a great effort to ensure that all visitors know what to do - and what not to do - when encountering the black bears. There are many other
carnivore, including coyotes, foxes, bobcats and, rarely, a mountain lion may be spotted. They are not a threat as long as you do not try to approach them and DO NOT ATTEMPT TO OFFER THEM FOOD. Many of the streams are well populated with fish. Unfortunately most are imported species and the native rainbow and golden trout species are slowly being restored. More information:
National Parks' Fauna
Camping in the Parks
There are many campgrounds in the parks ranging from the lower elevation sites in the
foothills to the cooler sites amid the conifers at the higher elevations. During the summer stays are limited to 14 days and, with the exception of the South Fork campground, have all the essentials. Reservations are required, of course. You can submit your application via the Internet at
http://reservations.nps.gov/ - or you can phone (toll-free) 800-436-7275 daily between 10a and 10p EASTERN time. More information:
www.sequoia.national-park.com/camping.htm
If you do not intend to camp out and want a comfortable (but inexpensive) place to stay nearby, we have lodgings under contract to accept guests at discount in the Fresno area:
Fresno Accommodations
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