In honor of America’s National Park Week and Earth Day during the last weeks of April, it’s all about one of the most incredible natural wonders on the planet – the giant sequoia trees. Considered the largest trees on earth, it’s hard to put into perspective their immensity until they’re actually seen in person.
Monarch sequoias have huge, cylindrical, reddish-brown trunks with their evergreen leaves on top. These trees grow naturally in altitudes between 5,000- 7,000 feet (1.5 – 2.1 km) in a particular climate and on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada Mountain range.
They have thrived for thousands of years and grow in groves at Sequoia, King’s Canyon and Yosemite National Parks in the central California region. During every visit, we stand there in awe and feel so infinitely small in this land of giants.
How big do these sequoias get? The largest of the trees are as tall as an average 26-story building with its trunk base diameters spanning wider than most city streets. Its upward growth usually stops at 275 feet (84 m) but its trunk thickens, gaining more mass during its lifetime.
The General Grant, officially known as America’s Christmas tree, is the widest of the sequoias. It would take about 20 people holding hands to form a circle around its base. Its height of 268 feet (81.7 m) makes it the third largest tree in the world and has been around for 1,700 years.
The star of the sequoias though is the General Sherman tree. This is considered the largest tree in the world by volume. It rises at a height of 275 feet (84 m) with a circumference of 83 feet (25.2 m). It is also among the oldest with an estimated age of at least 2,000 years old.
One of the best analogies I’ve read to put the size of this massive tree into perspective is this: “Looking up at the General Sherman tree for a 6 foot tall human is about the equivalent of a mouse looking up at a 6 foot tall human!”
Sequoias are also known for being resilient and endure many threatening natural forces. Its bark is flame retardant protecting mature trees from fire damage as well as from fungi disease and insects. Their main cause of death or toppling is their very shallow root system which is unable to withstand all the tree’s weight as it matures.
Another interesting fact about sequoias is that it needs fire to grow. A fire’s intense heat is the only agent that enables pine cones to release their seeds. Fires also clear out accumulated excess brush and other trees allowing the new seedlings to get ample sunlight and bare soil to flourish.
The parks had exhibits of fallen trees to see its interior. This living museum is a wonderful way to learn more about them. It’s hard to believe how these trees can be so old yet so gigantic.
You can even walk through fallen trees at Sequoia National Park through a small pathway. Of course, this was a popular place for the visitors and especially kids.
This is what we saw once we walked through the tree. It was too bad the “graffiti artists” had to make their mark here.
This Fallen Monarch tree at King’s Canyon National Park is used as an actual walkway through a hollowed out sequoia. It has been here unchanged for over 100 years. Unfortunately, wasps were fairly common around the trunk area.
Then, there are those fallen trees where we can drive through like the tunnel log at Sequoia National Park. This tree fell in 1937 and the tunnel was carved out at 8 ft (2.4 m) high and 17 ft (5.1 m) wide. My kids thought this was so cool they wanted to keep driving through it over and over again.
We love coming to these National Parks for their wonderful trails and stunning scenery. It’s hard to imagine that these trees started out as seedlings thousands of years ago. We were amazed at how they have grown and withstood so much – fires, drought, etc. – yet continue to flourish here. Many generations have marveled at these giant trees and I hope they’ll be around for many more years for future generations to appreciate.
*Have you visited and marveled at these giant sequoia trees?
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Updated on: April 2020
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These are amazing. In my book, one of nature’s seven wonders.
Thanks Bob! They are spectacular and really need to be seen in person to fully appreciate their size.
WOW! is all I can say. These trees are gorgeous.
I want to go there now! :)
Thanks Nancie! I hope you get to visit once you get back to North America.
Being from British Columbia I’d never considered going to visit more trees, but seeing how nice it looks I think we’ll have to stop there on our next California road trip. Thanks!
Thanks Ryan! These trees are definitely worth visiting and a stop on your road trip.
I am sooo excited to actually see some of these trees live and in person this May. My son and I are flying out to California. We are going to spend a few days in San Diego and then hit Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Yay!! Good job capturing these giants, I have heard they are difficult to capture on camera. I would love to hit Yosemite, but will have to make a return trip for that because Yosemite is like a vacation in itself. Thanks for the reminder about National Parks week too. You can delete the first post I accidentally posted without using http:// in front of my website.
Thanks Sere! You are going to have such a wonderful trip. I’m excited for you two. Please let me know if you have anyquestions about San Diego since I live here =)
Oh how I love the giant sequoias – my favorite trees on the planet. The mere scent of them fills me with joy. No visit to Yosemite is ever complete without a trip to see these mighty giants at The Mariposa Grove of Big Trees. Great post!
Thanks Debi! The Mariposa Grove was closed when we were there last month. So happy you appreciate these trees so much. I’ll need to pay special attention to the scent next time. The pine scent was very prominent though.
These trees are truly spectacular. I was lucky enough to visit them a couple of years ago…so awesome. Thanks for sharing these…and hooray for National Parks Week! :-)
Glad you liked the post and had the chance to marvel at these trees, Andi! The National Parks definitely need to be celebrated.
Super photos, I have yet to visit Yosemite, Sequoia or Kings canyon National Parks. On my my must visit list though!
I did visit the Redwoods up near San Francisco…and they were stunning. From you photos here though, I can’t wait to visit Sequoia National Park!
Thank you! I hope you visit these parks soon. We haven’t made it to the Redwoods yet but hope to get there soon. I know they’re taller than these sequoias so I’m sure they’re as incredible to see.
WOW! These trees are spectacular!
Thanks Muza-chan! Even more spectacular in person.
Never watched such a stunning and amazing pics! love them! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Albert!
These pictures are incredible- I can’t imagine what it was like to be there and touch them in real life. Maybe Bob and I will drive to a National Park this week and take advantage of the free weekend!
Thanks Jade! They really do need to be seen in person just to comprehend their sheer size. I hope you get to visit a National park this weekend. This isn’t too far of a drive from LA.
Wow! It was decades ago that I saw my first big trees in California and to this day I still marvel at their size and grandeur. Beautiful shots.
Thank you Jackie! I’m glad you were able to see and enjoy these beautiful trees.
Great perspective with your photos – they do a good job showing just how big those trees are. Years ago I was working in northern Ontario and came across a stand of virgin forest – with huge trees – not sequoia sized, but big enough that I couldn’t help but stand in awe – and wonder how we have chopped down so many of these treasures.
Good reminder to go visit the National Parks and gain appreciation for the wild places on our planet.
Appreciate the comments, Leigh! I’m glad the National Park Service have conserved these trees because many loggers were keen on chopping them down.
You’re right–it’s hard to imagine them starting out as seedlings. I haven’t been to Sequoia or King’s Canyon. This post makes me want to visit them even more. I know my older son would love it!
Your son would love this place. I’m pretty sure you’d like the scenic landscapes here too.
Those trees are incredible! I love the photo of your car driving through the trunk of a fallen tree – I agree with the kids, I’d want to do it again and again as well!
They are spectacular trees! I believe that was one of the highlights for my kids. We’re going back this summer so I’m sure we’ll do this little adventure again.
Wow! This is totally on my bucket list!
Thanks! I hope you make it to this part of the country soon.
Wow!! I love that picture of you and the family in front of the tree. Really puts it in perspective. I have to add the Sequoia National Park to my travel wishlist!
Thanks Sabrina! Definitely visit these National Parks when you can. These pictures don’t do them enough justice. Even more breathtaking in person.
I’m in total awe of redwoods and love visiting the parks to see the really big ones. Great pic of your family in front of the General Sherman tree!
Oops — I realize that redwoods and sequoias are similar, but different species. Meant to say that I’m in awe of both. :)
Thanks Cathy! The family picture is our best out of three only because there are no other tourists around. It pays to come visit in November.
Great pictures! You are right, the redwoods are amazing trees. Have you been up norther to see the coastal redwoods? They are also amazing and very worth a visit!
Thank you Debbie! Unfortunately, I haven’t made it up to the coastal redwoods yet and really need to visit soon.
I love how you can walk through a tree…! I never realized they were so massive!
Another highlight for visitors is that walkthrough tree. It’s just amazing to be able to do it. Even more massive in person.
I’ve been dying to get there! It’s not THAT far of a drive for us ;-) so hopefully we will head down south and check it out soon. Gorgeous pics by the way!
Thanks Keryn! I hope you make it to these parks soon and worth the long drive. You can always fly to San Francisco and then drive or for an even closer drive, fly to Fresno.
Met my wife (of 40+ years) at Yosemite way back in the last century, and we’ve been to the park may times to see these big trees.
Now we live near Muir Woods, where the coastal redwoods grow. (We’ve even got our own “Redwood Grove” growing on on property.
It’s hard to appreciate the size of these trees until you get “up close and personal” with them.
How awesome to have your own redwoods in the property. I remember your post about meeting your wife in Yosemite. Congratulations on 40+ years!
Upward growth stops at 275 feet?! These trees are giants. Very impressive, Mary!
Thanks Marcia! Can you imagine? They really make you feel so small.
Loved the photos and the details! As I was reading this post, I actually was wondering how and why some of the parking lots and structures were so close to the roots of the trees (my engineering background). So thanks for clearing up that the root systems were so shallow, and thus why they should not build things so close to them. :)
Thanks Justin! There really aren’t that many things around the Sequoias. It requires quite a bit of a hike to get to many of these groves.
This is such a great post – I LONG to see these in person and this post has sparked an idea to take the kids to California for a trip next summer – THANK YOU!!!
Thanks Becca! I hope you really make it to Califonia next summer. Selfishly, I would love to meet you and your family =) But, your kids will have such a wonderful time here.
What a wonderful park! Super. I was reading with big please. Thank You.
Thank you Victor! They are wonderful parks to visit.
We’ve been there and it’s a fabulous park. Haven’t seen the park in the snow – looks even more beautiful in the winter.
The parks are wonderful during Winter. Although, we went in early Nov. for this one. It was great to see sequoias dusted with snow. Even more wonderful to not have a lot of crowds.
Love the national parks
Great photos of the trees. I’ve just been looking through my own shots of Sequoia National Park, and I think I had a hard time capturing their height.
Thanks Michele! There were some shots where we had to be rally low to the ground and the others we just found the perfect picture spots.
Great pictures – I love National Parks too
Thanks Eileen! Happy National Park Week!
I was at the national park as a kid and I loved it! There is something so magical about seguoias, even when you aren’t a kid. I remember being amazed by the tree you could drive through. So fun!
Thanks Suzy! The drive through tree was one of the highlights for my kids. It’s touristy but so worth it.
Thanks for sharing these great photos! I’ve never been to these parks, but I’ve seen similarly amazing trees – kauri trees – in Puketi Forest on New Zealand’s North Island. Not an easy feat for a treehugger – would take quite a few of them to do the deed!
Thank you Christina! Yes, indeed tree huggers united around the tree will make for an awesome picture. We were in NZ North Island but don’t remember seeing any trees this big and probably wasn’t paying too much attention.
These photos gave me the chills. I really need to get to Yosemite and see these trees. They are amazing, and that’s not an understatement.
Thanks Leah! You definitley need to go to these National Parks. If these give you the chills, wait until you see these majestic trees in person. Hope you make it to California soon.
The sequoias are so majestic. Unfortunately, these pictures don’t do them any justice. They’re so much more impressive in person and amaze you with its size. Hope you get to see them soon.
Such a beautiful collection of photographs! We loved reading all you wrote about these amazing trees! I fell in love with them so much that I named my daughter Sequoia :)
Thanks Laurel! What a cool name you gave her! Those were such amazing trees and I’m glad you enjoyed reading them.