Fall Weekends in Sequoia National Park

Lodgepole is one of 14 campgrounds in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, but it is one of the only four that are open year round. Lodgepole is about equidistant from the entrance to Sequoia from the south on CA Highway 198 and the entrance to Kings Canyon to the north on CA Highway 180. The campground is at an elevation of 6,700 feet in Sequoia National Park, is ideal for family camping, and has both tent and RV sites.

The sites are $20 in the summer and $18 during the other seasons, but once there are heavy snows the price drops to $10. There are 214 sites available during the summer, but the number of sites declines during the other months. This is one of two campgrounds in the parks that accept reservations (Dorst is the other), and they are highly recommended. Reservations can be made online or by calling the National Parks reservation service. I would recommend reserving your spot online. The phone service is at a centralized location, and the staff often does not have maps of the campgrounds and cannot tell you anything about the site. However, the website will provide you with a list of available sites based on your camping style (e.g., one tent, two tents, RV) and brief descriptions of the sites.

Our spot was great! Partially shaded in the 151-214 area with a fair amount of privacy in the back of the campground. A picnic table and fire pit was provided at the site and flush toilets were just a few hundred feet away. There were coin-operated showers nearby at the Lodgepole Visitors Center. There was also a small market and fast-food style resturant near the Vistor's Center.

The Marble Fork of the Kaweah River runs through the campground and several tent camping sites are located along the river. Although that section of the campground wasn't open during our latest trip, the sites looked great. Who doesn't want to let the sounds of the river put them to sleep? Those site numbers start in the 80s and go up to about 140.

There are also several trails that originate in the campground including Twin Lakes Trail and Tokopah Falls Trail. Tokopah Falls Trail is 1.7 miles there (3.4 round trip) and makes for a brisk morning hike.

Important Note:
Bears live in the Sequoia... All of Sequoia. They don't avoid the campground just because you're sleeping there for the night. USE THE BEAR BOX AT YOUR CAMPSITE! Bears can tear apart your car if they think there is food in it. And, bears who eat people food can become aggressive later forcing the Park Service to destroy them. It might seem cute at the time to feed a bear your PB&J, but you might cause the death of the cute animal. If you've never camped around black bears before, the ranger will provide you with all the information you need and answer any questions when you check-in.

The Big Trees Trail is a 1.2 mile loop trail that is paved and handicap accessible. It circles Round Meadow in the Giant Forest section of Sequoia National Forest. The trail can be reached by parking at the Giant Forest Museum and following the signs. There is also a small parking lot for cars with handicap plackards closer to the trail. Both of these parking lots are on the General's Highway, the main road running through the park, and the small handicap lot is on the left side after the Museum if you're heading north.

The Big Trees Trail provides a nice introduction to the Giant Forest Sequoia Grove if you've never been to the park. There are informative panels all over the trail to enhance your understanding of the Giant Sequoias. Topics include the shallow root systems of the Sequoias, the difference between Sequoias and Redwoods, and the structure and function of the Sequoias' thick bark. There are also some interesting trees along this trail. Ned and Ed are two Sequoias that are extremely close together and almost appear to be growing from the same base. There is also a Sequoia that has incorporated a giant rock into it's trunk. It's also interesting to notice that Sequoias don't grown in Round Meadow. Although I have never visited this trail in the spring, I have read that there are lovely wildflowers in the meadow during the springtime.

Walking along the path, reading the educational panels, and taking some pictures will probably take about an hour. If you're looking for a quick and educational introduction to the Giant Sequoias or you have small children who would be unhappy on a longer walk, the Big Trees Trail is for you.

Crystal Cave is one of hundreds of caves located in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, but it is the only cave open to the public. It is a marble cave formed by the metamorphism of limestone that was discovered in 1918. Crystal Cave is located at the bottom of a 15-mile road that is quite winding. The road is 3 miles south of General Sherman.

All visitors to the cave must be with a tour. The most popular is the 45 minute tour, but a 2-hour tour "Discovery Tour" and a 4 to 6 hour "Wild Cave Tour" are also available. Tours are not conducted year round so make sure to check scheduling information.

The 45-minute tour begins at the top of the parking lot where you meet your tour guide and he or she hikes down a half mile trail to the cave's entrance. The trail is fairly steep so make sure to wear sneakers with a decent tread. On the way down the trail, you'll pass by Cascade Creek which produces a lovely waterfall near the cave's entrance.

The cave is guarded by a giant spiderweb gate which prevents vandals or curiosity seekers from entering the cave. Outside the cave, the guide will talk a bit about tour etiquette. You'll then follow the guide into the cave making several stops to discuss the cave's history and geology. Stops include the Pipe Organ, the Dome Room, and the Marbled Room. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the insects living in the cave and stopped several times to point out very small bugs.

I thought that the two highlights to the tour were a) the darkness of the cave and b) the small creek. Towards the end of the tour, the guide brought us all into a circular room in the cave, turned off all the lights and asked everyone to be silent. It was an interesting experience to be in a cave that was pitch dark, even after a minute or two my eyes didn't adjust so I was unable to see anything. Kind of creepy! On our way out of the cave, we walked over a small creek. The water was flowing fairly quickly, the rock was slick and smooth, and the marble had a very lovely blue hue.

At the conclusion of your tour, you can walk back up the trail to the parking lot at your own pace. However, I would recommend stopping at the Cascade Creek Waterfall and taking some pictures. The pictures we have of this little fall are some of my favorites from Sequoia.

Final Notes:
* Bring a sweater! It is 48 degrees F at all times in the cave.
* Tickets must be purchased the Foothills or Lodgepole Visitor Center. Don't drive the 15 miles down the very winding Crystal Cave Road without them!
* Adults: $10.95; Children under 13: $5.95; Children under 6: free; Seniors: $8.95

The General Sherman Tree is a Giant Sequoia located in the Giant Forest Sequoia Grove at an approximate elevation of 7,000 feet. The General Sherman has the honor of being the largest tree (by volume) in the world. The General Sherman is apprxomately 275 feet tall and 102 feet in circumfrence at its base, and contains 52,500 cubic feet of wood.

The General Sherman Tree is named for General William Tecumseh Sherman, who was a Union officer in the Civil War and later became commanding general of the US Army. A soldier who served under Sherman in the Civil War, James Wolverton, named the tree after his former leader.

There are two parking lots that give you access to the General Sherman. The first parking lot is located on the road up to Wolverton (a skiing location in the winter), which is off the General's Highway. There will be signs to direct you to the lot, and it's very easy to find. There is an easy to locate trail that leads down to the General Sherman. The General Sherman Trail is about half a mile and recently renovated. There are several benches thoughout the trail to relax on if you have some trouble breathing at the high elevation. There is also a lovely overlook where you can get a far-away, but complete picture of the General.

The second parking lot is on the General's Highway and serves as a handicap parking lot. This parking lot is much closer to the General Sherman, and can also serve as a drop off point if some members of your group do not want to or are not capable of taking the General Sherman Trail.

The General Sherman is quite impressive! The first view I had of the tree was about halfway down the General Sherman Trail. I saw the General off to the left and slightly seperated from the other Sequoias. There was a small fence around the General, so I knew it was "the tree." General Sherman is incredibly tall! Although I had read in the park newletter about its impressive dimensions, I didn't realize just how big it was until I actually saw it. It was amazing to see the people walking around the tree's base—they seemed like ants walking next to a regular-size tree!

After snapping a few photos, I walked the rest of the way down the trail to the tree. Looking up from the base of the tree, General Sherman seemed to go on forever! Although we had driven by several Sequoias on the way up the General's Highway, there is something about standing next to the biggest tree in the world that takes your breath away.

Even if you only have a few hours in the park, this is a must. Children will love it, and everyone who visists Sequoia should have the obligatory photo of them with General Sherman.

Auto Log and Tunnel Log are two nostalgic pieces of Sequoia National Park's history. They are located near each other in an easily accessible part of the park and take only a few minutes a piece to view and photograph. Highly recommended when you consider the value-to-time spent ratio... and kids will get a kick out of Tunnel Log!

Auto Log is a fallen Giant Sequoia that visitors used to drive their cars onto and take pictures. People have been doing this since the 1920s! However, Auto Log is rotting and can no longer support the weight of the cars, making taking the famous picture strictly verboten. But you can climb on top of the log and take a picture of yourself. Still fun, but I guess it's not quite the same experience. I've also seen people take pictures of their cars in front of the Auto Log. The last time I was there, I saw someone taking a picture of their bright-yellow Hummer... Two things I despise: Hummers and yellow cars.

Tunnel Log is also a fallen Sequoia. It fell over a road and was tunneled through. It's the only Sequoia that you can drive through in the park. But if your car is too big or you're just scared that the log will collapse, there is a small bypass road.

You can reach both of these sights via Moro Rock-Crescent Meadow Road. If you are traveling north along the General's Highway, make a right before the Giant Forest Museum and then follow the signs for about 2 miles. You can't miss them!