How to See General Sherman Tree, the Largest Tree in the World
Is there anything more astonishing in this world than standing below a 2,000-year-old Giant Sequoia?
General Sherman is located in Sequoia National Park, CA, and is one of the largest and oldest trees in the world today.
It’s truly a magnificent and humbling experience to walk amongst something living at nearly 275 ft. tall.
With my recent visit, I’ve collected and gathered some helpful information you should know before planning your visit.
Time of Year to Visit
Peak season is summer time, June through August.
Although typically crowded throughout the day, the morning hours are considered the best hours to visit if you’re looking to escape the majority of crowds.
I visited in April, and saw General Sherman at around 3pm, and this area wasn’t crowded at all considered the time of year.
Getting There
Take General Hwy (from Three Rivers entrance) that directly leads you up the mountain and straight to the parking lot.
From there, there is a short pathway that leads downwards towards General Sherman (Google maps).
The parking lot is fairly large and includes accessible parking for those who can’t make it down the trail.
Physical maps are placed throughout the trail to help guide you towards the tree as well.
General Sherman is located at the base of the trail, however many other giant Sequoia trees reside in this region. It’s fun to take the path further to witness more giant Sequoia’s in this region of the park.
As you make your way down the path, you’ll come across a stone outline on the ground that mimics the exact base circumference of the tree.
Directly in front of you, you can then see General Sherman.
It takes about a half a mile to get to the tree, so it’s a fairly short “hike” and not difficult at all.
You should definitely lengthen your time in this area as there are many trails (Congress Trail) that spread further into the forest grove.
Walking through Congress Trail
There are so many amazing and beautiful trees in this area that pictures cannot do justice for!
I highly recommend meandering along the trails and checking out all the giant Sequoia’s after getting your picture with General Sherman.
Some trees are hollow, some bend over to where you can walk under them, and some are conjoined together – all very different and all fun to see!
Fire Season
An unfortunate common threat these trees experience throughout the years are pollution and seasonal wild fires.
Even though General Sherman is constantly being protected, many of the surrounding Sequoias have experienced charred burns due to wildfires.
To learn more about saving these gentle giants, click here.
Moro Rock Trail is also located in close proximity within the park, and is definitely worth the visit.
If you’re interested in learning my top 3 favorite destinations to visit within Sequoia National Park (one of course being General Sherman!), learn more here.
And let me know how your journey went if you’ve travelled to see this magnificent giant! I’d love to learn more and hear how your experience went.
ashleykatechristian
Whatever you have always dreamed of doing, I want to help you get there.
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