Sequoia National Park

September 7, 2017 - Thursday

We left Yosemite National Park at about 7:15 heading to Sequoia National Park.  On the way out of the park the low tire pressure light came on so Mike pulled over and checked the tires.  The right rear tire was low 10 lbs. so we got air in Mariposa.  We took 140 to 99S.  We got groceries in Madera then took 180 to the King's Canyon National Park entrance.  After going through the entrance we took 198 (General's Highway) into Sequoia National Park and Lodgepole Campground where we are staying for 3 nights.  198 is a curvy road going up the Sierra Nevada mountains.  We went from just below 1000 ft. elevation to an elevation of 6750 ft. at our campground.  Our campsite is #48 just across from a mountain stream.  We drove o the Visitor's Center and Village at Lodgepole so that we could take a shower.  The showers were dirty, but we were able to get clean.  We had chicken tacos from a rotisserie chicken for dinner.  The weather was nice, partly  cloudy and cool for sleeping.

Lodgepole Campsite #48

Kaweah River next to camp

September 8, 2017 - Friday

After we had breakfast we drove to the Giant Forest Museum and looked at the exhibits.  When we left the museum we walked the 1-1/2 mile Round Meadow Big Tree Trail that starts at the museum.  We saw the Sentinel Tree there as well as many other sequoias.

The Sentinal - an average sized tree

A fire scar on a sequoia

'Fred and Ned' sequoias

A sequoia growing around a large rock

We stopped for lunch at a picnic area then drove to the General Sherman parking area.  We walked down 1/2 mile to view the General Sherman Tree - the largest tree in the world.  We walked on some of the Congress Tree trail before walking back up the trail to the parking lot.  All told we walked about 1-1/2 miles here.  We saw lots of really big trees.

The General

In front of the General

View of General Sherman from a viewpoint on the trail

When we got back to camp we made soup and cornbread for dinner.  The weather was clear and fairly cool.

September 10, 2017 - Sunday

We didn't get in a hurry this morning.  We cooked breakfast and cleaned up then walked to the Lodgepole Visitor's Center to look at the exhibits.  After getting back to camp we had lunch then cleaned up the car and trailer to get ready to leave in the morning.  We spent a lot of time sitting around camp.  The weather was clear and pleasant.  We are glad we went to Sequoia, but 2 nights would have been long enough.  Seeing the sequoias next to the museum was about all there was to do here.