Loggers, Sheepherders and Saving the Sequoias

Trappers, sheepherders, miners and loggers followed close behind. To most of these newcomers, the region was a storehouse of resources, and preserving it was not a priority. The giant sequoias drew particular attention as timber, since they were plentiful and simple to reach.

Native American communities had lived in the Southern Sierra for at least six to seven thousand years. The Monache, also called Western Mono, hunted and gathered in the high country and relied on the mountain passes for trade. Farther down, the Yokuts made their homes in the lowest foothills and across the Great Central Valley. When settlers arrived, illnesses such as smallpox led to a sharp drop in the population.

Since 1943, a single administration has managed Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, even though Congress created each one through its own act. Sequoia came first, set aside as recreation land in 1890, thanks in large part to Colonel George W. Stewart. Together the two parks cover 1,353 square miles and protect 265 Native American archeological sites and 69 historic sites.

Grazing on the floor of Kern Canyon is restricted in places to slow the spread of velvetgrass, a non-native grass considered invasive. A few stretches are closed to grazing entirely, and others allow it only for groups arriving from certain directions.

Giant sequoia groves sit at the center of any visit. Some people see them from the car, while others walk to a grove far from the road. In Giant Forest, one tree stands out: the General Sherman Tree, the largest tree on Earth by volume. The Congress Trail is a 2.7 mile round trip shaped like a lollipop, and it begins near that tree. The surface is paved, the grade is gentle, and it passes the House and Senate groups.