On Wednesday, I left Sequoia and continued north twoard the Grant Grove section of Kings Canyon National Park. Along the way, I stopped at viewpoints to see the Sierra crest over Kings Canyon and Redwood Canyon and areas to the south and west. Arriving in the Grant Grove section, I headed to the trailhead for the Big Stump trail. Last year, this area was closed as it was being used as a base camp for some controlled burns. So, my attempted hike of the Big Stump loop consisted of a rather confused set of unguided walks. This year I was able to hike the complete loop in a manner that make some sense. I was able to view the Resurrection Tree, a Tree whose top had been severed by lightning but had grown a news one. I was also able to circle the meadow that had been the site of a lumbering operation and saw a collection of stumps, newer growth, and a huge shattered log—a demonstration of why cutting Sequoia forests was not a very lucrative pursuit.
I then stopped at Grant Village for lunch and finished the day’s tours with a walk in the the vicinity of the General Grant Tree, the largest tree in this grove. I then drove down out of the Sierra’s to Fresno, returning home the next day.
Pictures for the day are here.