Sequoia [California] National Park - free ebook by United States. Department of the Interior

Sequoia

[CALIFORNIA] National Park United States Department of the Interior Harold L. Ickes, Secretary NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Arno B. Cammerer, Director UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON: 1937...

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WHAT TO SEE AND DO

The Principal Attractions in the park which the visitor should see are as follows: One-Day Stay. —Should include the Sherman Tree, Lodgepole Camp, Moro Rock, Parker Group, Crescent Meadow, and Tharp Cabin Log in the Giant Forest district. A drive out the Generals Highway to Lost Grove and General Grant National Park should be included. Two-Day Stay. —In addition to the above should include the Alta Trail as far as McKinley Tree, Congress Group, and the High Sierra Trail to Eagle View. Three-Day

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PARK REGULATIONS

Briefed Please Study the Regulations. Deliberate infractions may bring a penalty not to exceed $500 fine, or 6 months imprisonment, or both. Suggestions, complaints, or comments regarding any phase of the park operation should be communicated immediately to the superintendent, or to any ranger or park officer, who will notify the superintendent. Camps. —Camping is permitted only in numbered and designated camp sites. As far as possible, burn garbage in camp fire, and deposit empty cans and resid

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SEASON

The Sequoia National Park is open all year through the Ash Mountain entrance to Giant Forest. From May 25 to September 5 the Giant Forest Lodge, Kaweah Housekeeping Camp, Pinewood Automobile Camp, lunch-room, store, and service station are operated for the accommodation of visitors. From September 5 to May 25, the remainder of the year, the Giant Forest Winter Camp is available, providing American-plan and housekeeping accommodations in comfortable cabins. All year accommodations are provided as

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ADMINISTRATION AND HEADQUARTERS

The general headquarters for the Sequoia National Park is at Ash Mountain, on the Generals Highway. An information office is also maintained at Giant Forest. Mail, telephone, and telegraph messages for the superintendent should be addressed to Sequoia National Park, Calif.; the representative of the National Park Service in charge is the superintendent, John R. White. The United States Government has exclusive jurisdiction over the park (act of California Legislature, Apr. 15, 1919, and act of C

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HOW TO REACH THE PARK

Fresno, Visalia, and Exeter are the railway gateways to Sequoia and General Grant National Parks, served by the Southern Pacific Railway and the Atchison, Topeka &amp; Santa Fe. These cities are reached by an easy overnight journey from either Los Angeles or San Francisco. Pullman service is available daily to Fresno, and three times a week to Exeter and Visalia. The standard tour of Sequoia and General Grant National Parks is, in one direction only, from Fresno, via Visalia and Exeter, to G

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AUTOMOBILE ENTRANCES

The Generals Highway, leading to Giant Forest by way of the Kaweah River, Middle Fork, is the main artery of travel in the park, connecting directly with the paved State highway at the park boundary and reached from all points north and south through the various towns of the San Joaquin Valley. The Generals Highway is a fine surfaced mountain road, wide and of easy grade, leading the visitor past Ash Mountain headquarters, Camps Potwisha and Hospital Rock, to Giant Forest, 17 miles from the entr

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ROAD-SIGN INFORMATION

All signs in the parks are official. It is important and helpful to read them. The motorist should observe the road signs, always have his car under full control, keep to the right, and sound horn when on curves that are blind. Speed must not exceed 15 miles an hour on grades when rounding sharp curves. On straight open stretches the speed must not exceed 35 miles an hour. Speed limit signs inform the driver of maximum speeds allowed in the various areas. Careful driving is required at all times

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TRAIL ENTRANCES

Numerous trails cross the park boundary from all directions. The South Fork, or Hockett Trail, starts at the end of the South Fork Road 13 miles above Three Rivers at the Clough Cave entrance to the park. This is a main-traveled trail to southern points in the park—Garfield Grove, Kern Canyon, and Mount Whitney. The south trail entrance is reached from the end of the automobile road at Camp Nelson, in the national forest east of Porterville; thence by trail to the Kern Canyon station at Golden T

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SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS

The Sequoia National Park contains many scenic features in addition to the Big Trees. The forests of sugar pine, yellow pine, fir, cedar, black oak, and other trees are the noblest of their kind. Upland meadows painted with flowers; many rushing rivers and creeks, as well as lakes well stocked with trout; glacier-hewn valleys; monolithic rocks, and snow-capped mountain peaks all contribute to furnish perfect conditions for enjoyment of outdoor life and the study of nature. Below are listed but a

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OUTSTANDING VIEWS

Two miles by road or trail from Giant Forest is Moro Rock, one of the great monoliths of the Sierra Nevada, others being El Capitan and Half Dome in the Yosemite, and Tehipite Dome in the Kings River Canyon. Moro Rock is 6,719 feet above sea level and over 6,000 feet above the San Joaquin Valley. From the summit, which is easily reached by a rock and concrete stairway, to the silver streak of the Kaweah River at its base, is an almost sheer drop of 4,119 feet. The panorama of the Sierra Nevada,

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THE GIANT FOREST DISTRICT

The Giant Forest is the name given the largest grove of sequoias, which is more than a grove. It is a Brobdingnagian forest. Here is found the General Sherman Tree, perhaps the oldest and largest living thing, 36.5 feet at its greatest diameter and 272.4 feet high. There are scores of trees almost as large as the General Sherman, hundreds over 10 feet in diameter, and many thousand from the seedling stage upward. In his book, Our National Parks, John Muir says, "* * * I entered the sublime wilde

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THE SEQUOIAS

The California Big Trees must ever remain the supreme attraction of the park, although for many the mountain scenery and the fishing are added allurements. The Big Tree ( Sequoia gigantea ) is sometimes confused with the redwood ( Sequoia sempervirens ), the smaller species of Sequoia found only in the Coast Range of California. While gigantea approaches 40 feet in base diameter, sempervirens rarely exceeds 20 feet. The wood is similar in color and texture, but the foliage is distinct, and the b

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FISHING

Persons desiring to fish in the waters of the Sequoia National Park must secure a fishing license, as required by the laws of California. These laws provide that every person over the age of 18 who obtains fish without procuring a license is guilty of a misdemeanor. The license fee for residents is $2; for nonresidents, $3; and for aliens, $5. These licenses may be obtained from any county clerk, from the State board of fish and game commissioners, or from the representative of the commission at

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BATHING

In the Giant Forest district bathing may be enjoyed at Bridge Camp, Lodgepole Camp, and at Heather Lake. Bathing pools are especially marked, and on account of the danger of pollution of streams used for domestic purposes, bathers must confine themselves to designated areas. The largest pool is located in the upper Lodgepole district. An excellent bathing pool is available at Hospital Rock Camp, and many visitors stop here for a plunge en route to Giant Forest. The National Park Service maintain

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PAY ACCOMMODATIONS

Reservations or inquiries regarding hotel, housekeeping, and pay auto-camp accommodations should be directed to Giant Forest Lodge, Sequoia National Park, Calif., specifying, in detail, number of persons, types of accommodations required, and particular lodge or camp desired. Telephone or telegraph messages should be sent to Manager, Giant Forest Lodge, Sequoia National Park....

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MISCELLANEOUS SERVICES

Visitors to Sequoia should have mail addressed to Sequoia National Park, Calif. Guests of the Giant Forest Lodge or Camp Kaweah should have their mail addressed care of either resort, but Sequoia National Park must be added as the post-office addressed. There is long-distance telephone and telegraph service from all main points in Sequoia National Park. Telegrams should be addressed Sequoia National Park, Calif., bearing in addition the particular camp or lodge address. A resident physician is o

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SPECIAL WINTER ATTRACTIONS

Full winter conditions exist at Lodgepole and at Giant Forest during the months of December to March, when the Big Trees are surrounded by a blanket of snow from 2 to 12 feet deep. The snow sports common to northern climates and resorts are indulged in here during these months. Skis, toboggans, and snowshoes may be rented from the operating company, as well as heavy clothing desirable for this climate. The winter sports have become so popular that it is advisable that reservations for accommodat

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OTHER ATTRACTIONS

"Bear Hill" is the name given to the spot near the incinerator, where many bears gather to feed daily. The best time to see them is from noon to 7 p. m., when an attendant is on hand, but they are frequently there throughout the day. A ranger naturalist gives a 10-minute talk daily on the habits and characteristics of the bears. The road to Bear Hill branches from the Moro Road near the new village site. Tharp Cabin, in Log Meadow, one-half mile from end of auto road at Crescent Meadow, may also

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MUSEUM, LECTURE, AND TRAIL GUIDE SERVICE

The National Park Service encourages all forms of outdoor activities, but special attention is paid to fostering a knowledge of the wildlife and natural beauty which the parks were created to preserve. At Giant Forest a small collection of specimens is on display at the naturalist's office during the summer season for the enjoyment of visitors. Lectures given daily by ranger naturalists at Sherman Tree, Moro Rock, and elsewhere present facts of interest at these stations. The park naturalist is

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THE TRAILS

One of the most pleasing features of Giant Forest is the number of forest trails leading from it that afford interesting half-day or all-day excursions. Perhaps nowhere else is it possible to hike so easily for hours through such forests of sequoia, pine, and fir. Many of the trails are oiled to eliminate dust. The trail system is well signed, and the map in this pamphlet is used by many as a guide. It would be impossible to enumerate all the points of attraction or combination trips which can b

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FAUNA AND FLORA

California mule deer. —So-called because of their large ears. They are abundant everywhere and often tame near campgrounds. American black bear. —Found throughout the park and are very plentiful at Giant Forest during the spring and early summer months, where several at one time may be seen at the Bear Hill. These bears are not ferocious, and under all ordinary circumstances will run from man. Young of the same litter often vary in color from cinnamon to brown or black. Visitors must not feed th

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KERN CANYON AND MOUNT WHITNEY

The entire upper watershed of the Kern River, and the widely known Kern Canyon, added to the park in 1926, is a spectacular area containing the roughest and loftiest peaks of the entire Sierra Nevada, with Mount Whitney at 14,494.7 feet elevation, the highest point in continental United States, only barely thrusting its head above many others of nearly equal height. In the center of this mass of mountain wonderland is the Kern Canyon, with its colorful walls 3,000 feet high extending north and s

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MOUNTAINEERING

The peaks of the Sierra Nevada and Great Western Divide, as well as the Kaweah Peaks, in Sequoia National Park, offer excellent opportunities for mountaineering. Devotees of this greatest of outdoor sports are visiting the park in increasing numbers. Those interested in mountaineering in the park should communicate with the Sierra Club. Members of that club have made some notable ascents and are fully conversant with the technique of climbing in the Sierra of California. Among the high peaks in

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PACK TRIPS TO HIGH SIERRA

Many inquiries are received relative to hiking and pack trips in the Sierra within and adjacent to the Sequoia National Park. The following information about maps, trails, camps, routes, etc., will be useful to prospective visitors; but in view of the wild nature of the territory and inaccuracy of existing maps, the information must be accepted with reservations. The country from the Sequoia National Park to Yosemite National Park is shown on the United States Geological Survey quadrangles: Kawe

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PERMITTED PACKERS

All packers expecting to conduct parties through the Sequoia National Park should obtain a permit from the superintendent. Parties may then be taken through the park, subject to the National Park Service rules and regulations. Business may only be solicited within the park by the Sequoia &amp; General Grant National Parks Co. (Earl McKee, Three Rivers, Calif.)....

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ACCOMMODATIONS

The following is a general scale of rates for accommodations, subject to change upon approval by the Secretary of the Interior. A detailed schedule of rates may be procured upon application to the superintendent of the park, the Sequoia &amp; General Grant National Parks Co., at the station upon entrance to the park, or travel bureaus. American plan—Rate includes room and three meals. European plan—Rate includes room only, with extra charge for meals as taken. Housekeeping—Rate includes furn

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GENERAL GRANT NATIONAL PARK

In close proximity is General Grant National Park. Although its area is small, only 4 square miles, it contains two magnificent groves of big trees, including the famous General Grant Tree, dedicated several years ago as the Nation's Christmas Tree. The visitor will miss a treat unless he takes the loop around the two parks by way of the Generals Highway. Services and accommodations similar to those at Sequoia are available. A circular of information on General Grant National Park is published b

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REFERENCES

Albright, Horace M. , and Taylor, Frank J. Oh, Ranger! A book about the national parks. Illustrated. Campbell and Abbot. Report of the Smithsonian Institution for 1910. Evermann, Barton W. The Golden Trout of the Southern High Sierra. Bulletin of the Bureau of Fisheries, vol. 25, for 1925. Farquhar, Francis P. Exploration of the Sierra Nevada. California Historical Society Quarterly. Vol. IV, 1925. —— Place Names of the High Sierra. Sierra Club, San Francisco, Calif. 1926. Frothingham, Robert. T

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DO YOU KNOW YOUR NATIONAL PARKS?

ACADIA, MAINE.—Combination of mountain and seacoast scenery. Established 1919; 24.08 square miles. BRYCE CANYON, UTAH.—Canyons filled with exquisitely colored pinnacles. Established 1928; 55.06 square miles. CARLSBAD CAVERNS, N. MEX.—Beautifully decorated limestone caverns believed largest in the world. Established 1930; 15.56 square miles. CRATER LAKE, OREG.—Astonishingly beautiful lake in crater of extinct volcano. Established 1902; 250.52 square miles. GENERAL GRANT, CALIF.—Celebrated General

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