Sequoia National Park.

A quick four day stop close to Sequoia National forest. We stayed on the river about 6 miles from the entrance to the park. Every evening we took a bottle of chilled white wine and parked our butts in the river and cooled off from pretty hot days . A great finish to the day. Early morning , first in the park , starting at 1000 feet altitude , the road took us up to nearly 8000 feet . Having lived in Switserland when young and where the tree line is at about 1500 meters , no more trees after that . Seeing these huge trees at this altitude is both majestic and slightly weird . It sure looks like scenes out of Lord of the rings or similar books. The sometimes bright red trees stand tall and powerful among the pine trees and rocky scenery. Hard to get enough off . So many the same pictures over and over again .

Sequoia trees and giant redwoods are both magnificent members of the conifer family, known for their impressive size and longevity. One key difference lies in their scientific classification: while giant redwoods belong to the Sequoioideae subfamily, sequoias are in the Sequoiadendron genus. In terms of appearance, giant redwoods often grow to greater heights than sequoias, with the tallest trees in the world being giant redwoods. However, sequoias can still reach remarkable heights and are distinguished by their enormous girth, making them some of the most massive trees on Earth. Another notable distinction is their natural habitats: giant redwoods are primarily found along the coast of northern California, while sequoias thrive in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Despite these differences, both species captivate and inspire with their awe-inspiring presence, contributing to the unique beauty of their respective ecosystems.

Time flies , this was the last of the western national parks we visited this trip . A few more days and we start the long road back to the east coast . We’ll stop for a week in North Carolina and then back home . What a great trip .