Help me see the Sequoias

[Jerry1]

On of my goals is to see the sequoias/large redwood trees. My first glance at research suggests that it’s not just something I can easily drive up to, get a room at a hotel and enjoy the trees. Can anyone give me some suggestions on how to experience the trees with the minimum amount of camping/hiking type of effort? It’s not that I’m in bad shape, but outdoors for me is more like golfing or doing my yard work. I’d like to go this fall or next spring but would go when it’s the best time per advice from this group. Thanks.

 

[skyking1]

Yes Jerry, you absolutely can drive up, get a hotel room and see the sequoias from your car or short walks. Right now I'm using my phone, when I get back I will detail you some great spots to see them.

 

[disneysteve]

We went to Sequoia National Park a number of years ago. We spent 2 nights at Wuksachi Lodge which is right in the middle of everything, steps away from easy trails. It’s a very easy way to experience everything.

https://www.visitsequoia.com/lodging/wuksachi-lodge

 

[audreyh1]

I’ve seen the giant coastal redwoods in northern CA which are even taller, and these you actually can drive right up to. Many parks. Spectacular.

https://www.nps.gov/parkhistory/onl... sequoia is the,those produced by the redwood.

 

[CardsFan]

If you want to giant redwood trees (though not Sequoia's), with little extra effort there are many easy access places in northern CA.

Muir Woods, outside SF, and The Skunk Train in Ft. Bragg come to mind. Mind you, these are touristy, but easy to get to.

 

[Midpack]

We went to Muir Woods years ago, awesome place to see the giant trees!

 

[braumeister]

Muir Woods is a fantastic place. I used to visit every time I was in SF.

But be aware that you need reservations now and it can get crowded quickly.

Fort Bragg is also a great place, north of Mendocino (which can also be worth visiting).

 

[audreyh1]

For coastal redwoods we spent a month north of Eureka and McKinleyville CA and explored many of the parks with giant redwoods. We were based close to the small historic whaling town of Trinidad CA. Lots of fantastic hiking up there!!

 

[MC Rider]

Yes you may need reservations for the National Parks. Sequoia Park is awesome but so is the Sequoia National forest. I am not sure if those trees are in Kings Canyon Park, but it likely less busy. Yosemite is about guaranteed to be packed with tourists. Check the Park and Forest Service web sites. Real Estate broker sites may have info too.

Inserting plug for the Kern River Valley (at the south end of all that), here.

https://kernvalleysun.com/category/kern-river-valley-guide/

 

[rodi]

Seconding the Wuksachi lodge... You can access both Sequoia and Kings Canyon from that location. John Muir lodge is more 'motel' like on the Kings Canyon side of the adjacent parks - but several short hikes close to it. Wuksachi is a little fancier, therefore more expensive.

Totally agree about Muir Woods. It's my favorite national park even though it's tiny. You need reservations to park. It is strictly a day trip type thing. If you don't get enough trees that way you can go Old Mill Park in Mill Valley (right near Muir woods.)... It's a city park that has a bunch of nice trees... and is totally free.

There's also Mariposa Grove in south Yosemite. Nice short little hike from the trailhead. Short enough that we typically stop when driving into or out of Yosemite. (We come in from the south.)

Coastal redwoods are taller,
Sequoias are wider.
Both are amazing!!!!

 

[cathy63]

California is lucky to have the biggest, tallest and oldest trees. You could easily do a road trip where you see all three species. Here's my suggested itinerary.

Go in the fall. Spring is pretty in the mountains, but late snowstorms can throw a wrench in your plans and you can't do step 4 below until after the snow is cleared around late June or early July.

1. Fly to SFO or OAK and rent a car for a one-way trip.

2. Visit Muir Woods to see the coast redwoods (tallest). There are many other places to see Redwoods, but something about Muir Woods is special. Also, it's conveniently located if you're in the Bay Area. You do need to make a parking reservation for the day you're going to be there.

3. When you're finished exploring the Bay Area, head for the Giant Sequoias (biggest) in Yosemite National Park. There are more of them in Sequoia National Park than Yosemite, but the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite is also quite impressive and it's easier to get to from the Bay Area. Stay at the historic Wawona Hotel or if you haven't yet been to Yosemite Valley (or just want to see it again) try Yosemite Lodge. Yosemite hotels book up very early, so if you hope to do this trip this year, you need to start looking for cancellations ASAP. Book Yosemite lodging first and then plan the rest of the trip around whatever hotel room you find in that area. If you're completely unable to find anything in the park, then Fish Camp or El Portal have places to stay.

4. Afterwards, you can take Tioga Pass over the mountains and head for the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest (oldest).

5. Continue down the eastern Sierra and fly home from LA (BUR is easier than LAX) or Las Vegas. If you have time en route, stop at Mono Lake, Devils Postpile National Monument, Manzanar Historic Site, Death Valley National Park.

All these places can be enjoyed without any serious hiking, though you might walk a mile or at most two in some spots, and you definitely do not need to camp. If you do this trip, it's worthwhile to get a National Parks pass if you don't already have one.

 

[rodi]

Cathy63 nailed a great itinerary!

 

[tutan]

At least walk around Grant Grove, which is about 60 miles from Fresno, CA. It’s an easy nature trail. The giant sequoias with their reddish bark are quite stunning against white snow if Generals Highway is open in late winter. Also see General Sherman, the world’s largest tree. It is another 30 miles south on Generals Highway. It is a short walk from the parking lot off the highway.

 

[Chuckanut]

Redwood Ntl Park has an excellent grove of giant redwoods that are easily walk-able on nice paths with little up and down. No boulder hopping or jumping over streams required.

 

[skyking1]

@disneysteve had the lodge recommendation I was going to suggest. If you do the coast redwoods, we liked Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park. It has several nearby grove loops with good tree peeping.
Stout Memorial Grove across the river.

South of Fortuna there is an auto loop 'Avenue of the Giants'.
Just as you leave 101 at the north end of that, take a short jaunt up Bull Creek Flats road up to Albee Creek Campground. You end up on a narrow road that weaves through the ancient trees.
This is the side road to the campground.

There are several flat tree walks along there.
You can come back out and continue on 101, or go for a real adventure to the Lost Coast. That's not about redwoods, you can research that but it was one of those things to do at least once.

 

[calmloki]

No one has mentioned the several locations to drive through the redwoods? Or redwood singular?

https://www.visitredwoods.com/listing/drive-through-a-redwood/661/

 

[Jerry1]

Thank you all for your help. It will be very helpful in my planning.

if you hope to do this trip this year, you need to start looking for cancellations ASAP.

Thank you for such a comprehensive itinerary. My plan is to do this in 2025. Probably a long road trip in the late summer into the fall. DW and I don’t like to fly and there’s a lot between Michigan and California that we can experience.

 

[skyking1]

Thank you all for your help. It will be very helpful in my planning.



Thank you for such a comprehensive itinerary. My plan is to do this in 2025. Probably a long road trip in the late summer into the fall. DW and I don’t like to fly and there’s a lot between Michigan and California that we can experience.

I could get "stuck" in Utah.

 

[DrRoy]

We drive from Michigan to Arizona or Utah almost yearly.

 

[Mark1]

California is lucky to have the biggest, tallest and oldest trees. You could easily do a road trip where you see all three species. Here's my suggested itinerary.

Go in the fall. Spring is pretty in the mountains, but late snowstorms can throw a wrench in your plans and you can't do step 4 below until after the snow is cleared around late June or early July.

1. Fly to SFO or OAK and rent a car for a one-way trip.

2. Visit Muir Woods to see the coast redwoods (tallest). There are many other places to see Redwoods, but something about Muir Woods is special. Also, it's conveniently located if you're in the Bay Area. You do need to make a parking reservation for the day you're going to be there.

3. When you're finished exploring the Bay Area, head for the Giant Sequoias (biggest) in Yosemite National Park. There are more of them in Sequoia National Park than Yosemite, but the Mariposa Grove in Yosemite is also quite impressive and it's easier to get to from the Bay Area. Stay at the historic Wawona Hotel or if you haven't yet been to Yosemite Valley (or just want to see it again) try Yosemite Lodge. Yosemite hotels book up very early, so if you hope to do this trip this year, you need to start looking for cancellations ASAP. Book Yosemite lodging first and then plan the rest of the trip around whatever hotel room you find in that area. If you're completely unable to find anything in the park, then Fish Camp or El Portal have places to stay.

4. Afterwards, you can take Tioga Pass over the mountains and head for the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest (oldest).

5. Continue down the eastern Sierra and fly home from LA (BUR is easier than LAX) or Las Vegas. If you have time en route, stop at Mono Lake, Devils Postpile National Monument, Manzanar Historic Site, Death Valley National Park.

All these places can be enjoyed without any serious hiking, though you might walk a mile or at most two in some spots, and you definitely do not need to camp. If you do this trip, it's worthwhile to get a National Parks pass if you don't already have one.

I really like this route outlined by Cathy, but since you're driving in from the east, I would go no further south than the Methuselah tree in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. I really enjoy the area around Mammoth Lakes, Mono Lake, and up to Tioga pass, due to the high gradient of the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada's. If you going west up to Tioga Pass in the morning, consider eating breakfast at the Mobil gas station in Lee Vining.

 

[cathy63]

Thank you all for your help. It will be very helpful in my planning.



Thank you for such a comprehensive itinerary. My plan is to do this in 2025. Probably a long road trip in the late summer into the fall. DW and I don’t like to fly and there’s a lot between Michigan and California that we can experience.

That will be an excellent time of year for this trip, and driving yourself opens up all kinds of great route options. As a kid, our family road trips always took us from our home in the Bay Area to see grandparents, aunts and uncles in Detroit, so I think I've been on every road between MI and CA. If you do a loop and include a northern segment, then you can drive Avenue of the Giants and make a stop at the Redwood Sky Walk in Eureka to get up into the trees.

 

[calmloki]

I really like this route outlined by Cathy, but since you're driving in from the east, I would go no further south than the Methuselah tree in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. I really enjoy the area around Mammoth Lakes, Mono Lake, and up to Tioga pass, due to the high gradient of the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada's. If you going west up to Tioga Pass in the morning, consider eating breakfast at the Mobil gas station in Lee Vining.

"Eat here and get gas"?

Nah: Looks real good

https://www.whoanelliedeli.com/menu-1

 

[Chuckanut]

As a youth one of the few organizations I gave money to was Save the Redwoods. Not only have I lived to enjoy the benefits, but my children and grandchildren will see them soon, I hope.

If you going west up to Tioga Pass in the morning, consider eating breakfast at the Mobil gas station in Lee Vining.

Make sure Tioga Pass is open. With the all snow in the Sierra Nevada range in last year or two, I would not be surprised to see the pass open later than normal.

 

[pjigar]

We went to Sequoia National Park a number of years ago. We spent 2 nights at Wuksachi Lodge which is right in the middle of everything, steps away from easy trails. It’s a very easy way to experience everything.

https://www.visitsequoia.com/lodging/wuksachi-lodge

We did a similar trip last fall. 3 nights at the Wuksachi Lodge and you can leisurely cover all major attractions and hikes. If you want to hike all trails starting from a packing lot then you may need 5 nights.

The temperature can get pretty cold depending on the weather so be ready.

We like to do only one park per trip but if you are up for it, the Kings Canyon National Park is further up the road from Wuksachi Lodge.

 

[dixonge]

There are just a few places to see Redwoods in Cali...

https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=24723