Explore the Forest!
Come explore the Land of Giants.
Giant Sequoia National Monument
The rich and varied landscape of the Giant Sequoia National Monument holds a diverse array of scientific and historic resources.
Within the boundaries of this monument and protected under Forest Service management are magnificent groves of towering giant sequoias, mountain meadows, limestone caverns, bold granitic domes and spires, plunging gorges, a diverse array of plants and animals, and archaeological sites.
The monument is divided in two sections, separated by Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks; the northern portion is in the Hume Lake Ranger District, with vehicle access to the national parks. The southern portion is in the Western Divide Ranger District.
Note that regulations differ between the park, the monument, and the forest in various ways, such as traveling in wilderness or with a pet, camping, building a campfire, riding a bike, hunting, fishing, riding an off-highway vehicle, or collecting a forest product, such as pinecones.
Giant Sequoia Groves
Thirty-three groves or grove complexes of giant sequoia trees are protected within the monument for visitors to explore. Groves and individual trees that are easiest to reach by passenger vehicle include Converse Basin Grove and the Boole Tree, Indian Basin Grove, Belknap Complex, Long Meadow Grove and the Trail of 100 Giants, and Freeman Creek Grove and the Bush Loop Trail. One-page information sheets are available online or at forest offices.
Looking for adventure in more remote locations? Visit one of these groves: Bearskin, Evans Complex, Wishon area groves, Packsaddle, and Deer Creek. Be prepared, as no facilities are at these locations, roads may require high clearance vehicles, and some groves require cross-country travel on foot.
Northern Portion: In the late 1800s, privately-owned logging operations took place in Converse Basin. By 1908, the area had been thoroughly logged. Visitors can see remnants of this logging today. Cut sections of one of the famous giants, the General Noble tree, were reassembled at the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Today, visitors can view the remaining 20-foot “Chicago Stump” in Converse Basin. The trail to the stump is universally accessible.
The Boole Tree is the last of the large giant sequoias in Converse Basin that has grown since the 1890s. It is the largest tree on National Forest System land and is recognized as one of the largest trees in the world.
Indian Basin Grove is one of the few groves with a campground. Princess Campground has three campground loops: Shining Cloud, Yellow Moon, and Morning Star. It has the greatest number of large sequoia tree stumps, as well as young sequoia trees and a variety of conifers. Shade is good throughout the campground; privacy between camp sites is fair to good. Princess Campground lies in the middle of Indian Basin Grove beside Indian Basin Meadow and Creek. Campfire talks and guided hikes are offered most weekends from Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend (this campground is currently under construction, so please check when it will be open).
Southern Portion: The Trail of a Hundred Giants across from Redwood Meadow Campground on the Western Divide Highway provides interpretation of life among the giant sequoias. This self-guided loop trail is about 1.3 miles long and portions of the trail are fully accessible. In April 2000, President Bill Clinton signed the Presidential Proclamation establishing the Giant Sequoia National Monument at this site.
The Belknap Grove is a complex of multiple groves. Belknap Campground is in this grove. Beautiful trails through old growth sequoias meander along Bear Creek and the Tule River. This grove is fairly easy to get to on paved roads. You can visit this grove year-round, but there may be snow and ice on the roads in winter, so please check in advance and bring your tire chains.
The Freeman Creek Grove is the easternmost grove of giant sequoias and contains the President George H.W. Bush Tree. In 1992, President Bush signed a Presidential Proclamation here that provided management direction for all giant sequoia groves in national forests.
History: For centuries, the giant sequoia was known only by the Native Americans, and was not seen by European descendants until the mid-1800s. Since then these ancient giants have known a history of logging and renewal, of common use and veneration, and of human conquering and legal patronage. Wide-spread logging before the turn of the century inspired the public to clamor for their protection. Three national forests, three national parks, and various state holdings have met that demand.
Present Day: The Forest Service manages 33 giant sequoia groves and other objects of interest in the Giant Sequoia National Monument for their protection, restoration, and preservation. The sequoia groves inside Monument boundaries are: Abbot Creek, Agnew, Bearskin, Big Stump, Cherry Gap, Converse Basin, Deer Meadow, Evans Complex, Grant, Indian Basin, Landslide, Monarch, and Redwood Mountain in the northern portion of the Monument; and Alder Creek, Belknap Complex, Black Mountain, Burro Creek, Cunningham, Deer Creek, Dillonwood, Freeman Creek, Long Meadow, Maggie Mountain, Middle Tule, Mountain Home, Packsaddle, Peyrone, Red Hill, Silver Creek, South Peyrone, Starvation Complex, Upper Tule, and Wishon in the southern portion of the Monument.
Come Visit 6 Exciting Giant Sequoia Groves!
Northern Portion
In the northern portion of the Giant Sequoia National Monument, 13 groves are located in the Hume Lake Ranger District, east of Fresno, California. Nearby Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks also manage sequoia groves, with similar practices for their protection.
- Indian Basin Grove & Princess Campground
- Converse Basin Grove: a look back at history
- Boole Tree: the largest giant sequoia tree in the Monument
Southern Portion
In the southern portion of the Giant Sequoia National Monument, 20 giant sequoia groves are located in the Western Divide Ranger District, east of Porterville and Springville, California.
- Belknap Grove: access year round
- Tule River Canyon
- Trail of 100 Giants: walk and learn about giant sequoias.
- Freeman Creek Grove: awe-inspiring!
Roads are subject to snow closures during winter months. Mountain bikes are allowed on all of the designated trails in the Monument.
The definition of “scenic” reaches beyond breathtaking vistas. The Sequoia’s scenic drives are gateways to adventure. The Kings Canyon Scenic Byway and other scenic highways are accessible by passenger car. Additional information is available at forest offices.
Hume Lake Ranger District
The Kings Canyon Scenic Byway (Highway 180) provides the only vehicle route into Kings Canyon, one of the deepest canyons in North America. Travel through many of the southern Sierra life zones, and experience the spectacular geology of Kings Canyon. The route begins near the Hume Lake Ranger Station in the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada at 1,800 feet in elevation and climbs to 6,400 feet. At Kings Canyon National Park, stop at the visitor center, or take a short hike to the General Grant Tree. The byway descends 2,700 feet to the Wild and Scenic Kings River corridor. Take a guided tour of Boyden Cave, a magnificent limestone cavern beneath the massive 2,000-foot marble walls of the famous Portals of the Kings. Grizzly Falls is a great spot for a picnic lunch with a beautiful waterfall close to the road. The road ends at Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon National Park. Travel time is about 2-3 hours. The section of the byway just below the turn-off to Hume Lake closes for the winter, so plan your tour of Kings Canyon mid-May to mid-October.
Beginning at Highway 180 in Kings Canyon National Park, this scenic route travels through the Giant Sequoia National Monument and then becomes the travel artery through Sequoia National Park to the community of Three Rivers at Highway 198. This route provides access to the Big Meadows and Eshom areas and also provides access to Ten Mile Road, leading to Hume Lake. Forest Service campgrounds, Montecito Lake Resort, and Stony Creek Lodge are located on the Generals Highway. Portions of the highway are closed during the winter.
Western Divide Ranger District
The Western Divide Highway (M107) travels the dramatic ridgeline that divides the Kern River watershed from the Tule River watershed. This 15-mile scenic route begins at Quaking Aspen Campground and ends at the junction with M50. You can travel west on M50 to California Hot Springs and then on to Highway 65, or travel east to Johnsondale, dropping into the Kern River Valley. From this road, access numerous giant sequoia groves, fire lookouts, fishing streams, and trails. The road is closed to passenger vehicles during the winter, due to snow, but many still enjoy the area for snow play, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.
Kern River Ranger District
Sherman Pass Road (22S05) provides access to the Kern Plateau. This scenic route stretches from the North Fork of the Kern River in the west, east to the high desert, connecting to Highway 395. The road is open from late May or early June, depending on snow, until the snow falls in late fall or winter. From the west, this road climbs out of the Upper Kern River Canyon to Sherman Pass and falls to the east side of the Kern Plateau and then to the Mojave Desert. At the summit of Sherman Pass, visitors can enjoy stunning views of the Sierra Crest and Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states. As the road winds downward across the plateau on the east side, the forest changes from red fir to mixed conifer and to pinyon pine. The road is closed during the winter to passenger vehicles.