The California Sequoia National Forest is located in central California, within driving distance of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento. The prime attraction here is the giant sequoia, the world's tallest tree, found nowhere else on the planet.
The giant sequoia--Sequoiadendron Giganteum--grows only on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Giant sequoias are in the same family as the coastal redwoods but have more volume. The most massive living organism in the world is a giant sequoia referred to as "General Sherman" that is 275 feet high and has a diameter of 36.5 feet. Giant sequoias can live for 3,000 years; the oldest recorded example was more than 3,500 years old.
Sequoia National Forest was established on July 1, 1908. One of 19 national forests in California, the Sequoia National Forest boasts 39 groves of giant sequoia within its boundaries. In April, 2000, President Clinton proclaimed over 350,000 acres within the National Forest as the Sequoia National Monument, which provides the sequoia extra protection. The trees were named after Chief Sequoya, who invented a phonetic alphabet for the Cherokee language.
The Sequoia National Forest contains extreme ecological diversity. You can hike, bike or ride a horse through four different ecosystems: desert, chaparral, deciduous forests and conifer forests. From a low elevation of 500 feet, the Sequoia National Forest rises to alpine heights of 10,500 feet. It is a popular rock-climbing area, containing more rock domes within its borders than Yosemite National Park.
Sequoia's Lake Isabella offers fishing, windsurfing, sailing, boating and water-skiing. Whitewater rafting and kayaking are popular on the Kings River and Kern River in the summer; however, canoes and inner tubes are not recommended. There are many large rivers and small creeks perfect for fly-fishing.
Since the Forest is set on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada, it is always white for Christmas. Winter sports include downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing. Snowmobiling is limited to roads within the Giant Sequoia National Monument. Several specific winter recreation areas can be reached by car.
Rangers recommend camping between May and October in order to avoid winter storms. Campgrounds are located throughout the park and most allow a maximum stay of 14 days. Sequoia Forest campsites are generally available on a first-come, first-served basis but some can be reserved by calling the National Forest Reservation Center at 1-877-444-6777. You can also choose to camp outside the campgrounds for free.
