Just a few minutes past the gates and the information booths at the entrance to King´s Canyon National Park, visitors can see the Giant Sequoias. Some of them are more than 3,000 years old, the tallest reach almost 300 feet in height. They can measure 30 feet across at the bottom. There are several campgrounds spread throughout the park, and at the end of the only road leading into King´s Canyon, there is a lodge offering basic overnight accommodations. At the nearby Ranger Station, visitors can buy postcards, books and small souvenirs as well as maps, snacks and water.
These trees grow to a height of 350 feet. The tallest ever measured living thing on Earth is a Redwood tree in Northern California, recorded at 361 feet by the National Parks Service. Its exact location is kept secret so that visitors do not try to trample through the woods to get there. The tree is far off public roads so that it would be impossible for large crowds to reach it, anyway. There are many regional and state parks with the term "Redwood" in their name, and many offer hiking or riding trails with different grades of difficulty or length. Quite a few trails in California´s regional coastal parks allow for leisurely strolls on short trails, lined by Coastal Redwood groves.
Coastal Redwood trees and Giant Sequoias have been placed under special protection by state and federal authorities. No one is allowed to fell one of those trees without special permits, which are very difficult to obtain. Smoking near or tampering with Coastal Redwoods or Giant Sequoias is strictly prohibited. Many state parks officials as well as the National Parks Service provide tours guided by biologists for visitors interested in finding out more about those tree giants. Operating hours and ticket prices vary greatly.
