Sequoia
This is a national park that had escaped a visit from Milad, so when my friends invited me to go on a camping trip with them to see the beautiful nature Sequoia has to offer, I was stoked. Here’s what we did.
For starters, we stayed at Princess Campground, which was a solid option that gave us just what we needed and was well located.
General Grant Tree
This is tree has been around for over 1700 years, making it one of the oldest and largest trees in the entire world. The surrounding area has more trees, which sounds somewhat ridiculous to advertise as I type it but seriously, the sheer magnitude of these trees is just next level.
Moro Rock Trail
This trail will take you right up to the top of a massive boulder that sticks out over the entire park. It’s a stunning (and safe) way to see the massive beauty of Sequoia. The Hanging Rock Trail just adjacent to Moro Rock is also definitely worth checking out.
Sequoia National Park Tunnel
Just before you get to the Moro Rock Trail, you can check out this iconic photo spot. Wait in a short line, drive you car underneath the carved out of the massive fallen tree trunk and get that Instagram shot baby.
General Sherman Tree
This is the one that’s the largest tree in the world, by total volume. It’s an absolute beast, and kind of something you have to see, like Times Square in New York for your first time.
Grizzly Falls
On the other side of the park, you’ll find a road that runs alongside a river which provides several great places to stop and check out. This is one of them, and its a beauty. Grizzly Falls is a stunning waterfall just a short walk from the main road.
Roaring River Falls
Next down the road, about 20 minutes from Grizzly, is Roaring River Falls, which is another beautiful waterfall very much so worth checking out.
Zumwalt Meadows
This is a peaceful loop trail that takes just about an hour or so and leads to stunning meadows flanked by massive cliffs that almost made me feel like I was in Switzerland for a second (I’ve never been to Switzerland so I’m just assuming but from the photos, they seemed similar).
Mist Falls Trail
This was the main, long hike we did at the park (9 miles out-and-back). It takes a few hours and it can get tough at some points, but the views easily make the hike feel worth it. The beginning is boring, so just play some games and deal with it because after the first 3 miles or so, the hike becomes truly quite fun and dynamic, with a spectacular waterfall at the end.
The beginning of the hike basically looks like this for the first hour, so be prepared for that.
Lake Hume
This lake was just next to our campsite and we were curious to check it out. Let me tell you, it was a trip. It’s a super Christian summer camp, and our group of bikini-clad, rambunctious college students DEFINITELY did not fit the vibe. It got to the point where I felt so uncomfortable that we had to briskly walk back to the car (covering the ladies) and drive to the other side of the lake. But the experience was definitely entertaining, and interesting to a degree - for example, I had never been asked to show ID for buying soda. So that was new.
