Indian Basin Grove

Indian Basin Grove is a mid size grove of 448 acres with the popular Princess Campground and Indian Basin interpretive trail within its boundaries. Before the Forest Service acquired the grove in the 1930s the area was privately owned. Between 1901 and 1907 the Sanger Lumber Company removed all the mature trees including the ancient giant sequoias. Lumbermen hauled the trees by cable railways over Converse Mountain and down the backside of the mountain to the historic Converse Mill. Massive, giant sequoia stumps remain as silent reminders of the great trees that once grew here. Young giant sequoias have replaced many of the giants that fell to the saw demonstrating the species resilience. In tree ring studies, the stumps continue to help scientists piece together prehistoric and historic weather patterns, fires and droughts. The grove is easy to reach by car on State Highway 180. It is best to visit in the summer because the road can be snowy and icy in the winter. The grove is about 215 acres with sequoias mainly on the south side of Indian Basin Creek.