30. Salute General Sherman and Sequoia’s other big trees

Tulare and Fresno counties

Why salute? Because General Sherman is the biggest tree on Earth (by volume). It stands within the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park, 275 feet high, 102 feet around at its base, inspiring awe, frustration and relief among just about all who arrive with phones or cameras.

The awe is simple. This is an epic living thing, about 2,200 years old. The frustration is because its stature resists capture. And the relief is because it lives at all.

Sequioa and Kings Canyon parks have been menaced by six major fires in the last seven years, including the KMP Complex Fire and Windy Fire, both sparked by lightning in September. On the way in, you’ll see thousands of blackened trees, interspersed with early regrowth. And you may remember that firefighters wrapped Gen. Sherman in fire-resistant material that looked like aluminum foil.

To reach the general, head north via highways 99 and 65, pass the gateway town of Three Rivers, then enter Sequoia National Park and follow Generals Highway (weather permitting) to the Giant Forest. Take your selfie. Then spend time on the nearby Big Trees or Moro Rock trails, which usually have a better treesto-people ratio.

Back in the car, if you stay on Generals Highway bearing north, it will take you deeper into fire-damaged areas (beginning just north of the still-closed Lodgepole Visitor Center) and eventually deliver you to the Grant Grove area of Kings Canyon National Park, another haven of surviving sequoias. (The highway opened for the season on March 18.)

Bonus tip: In Three Rivers, you can get a good burger at Buckaroo Diner, a cold beer at the Gateway Restaurant or a rustic room or cabin at the Buckeye Tree Lodge.