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Congress Trail

Sequoia National Park

Sequoia National Park Links:

May 30th, 1999

2.0 miles
200 vertical feet
Total Time: 1:10

Rating: 8/10

Directions:   View Driving Map


It was late afternoon by the time Jean and I started the Congress Trail. There was a large crowd gathered by the General Sherman tree -- the largest living thing on the planet. We got someone to take our picture, and then returned the favor in kind. Then it was onto the trail.

General Sherman, of course

The Congress Trail is a paved path which winds its way through a beautiful grove of large sequoias. This late in the day, people were returning to camp to start up the grill for dinner, and we had the trail almost completely to ourselves. That's too bad for everyone else, since the afternoon lighting shone beautifully on the sequoias.

A sequoia glittering in the afternoon light, next to the Congress Trail

Another section of the trail

The Congress Trail is so named because the trees have been given names like The President, the Senate, and the House. Even without the names, though, it's a beautiful trail. The Crescent Meadow trail has sequoias, but they aren't as big or as concentrated as the sequoias along the Congress Trail.

Hiking along the Congress Trail

Out of the remains of a giant downed sequoia comes new life.

We continued our morel-hunting (looking, but not touching!). The forest seemed to have a faint red glow to it. Rays of sunshine filtered through the forest. Large black crows glided through the forest, between the trees, as if in slow motion.

One can only imagine what it must have been like when John Muir first walked through these forests. No cars, no roads, no paved trails. Just the majesty and beauty of giant sequoias.

Return to Sequoia/Kings Canyon trip report.


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