We went out to McKinley Grove the day after Thanksgiving to walk around in the big trees. The road will be shutting down soon for the season and the trees will wait until next spring for visitors.
McKinley Grove just before winter
Upper McKinley Grove Giant Sequoias
We hiked up to the upper grove of giant sequoias at McKinley Grove. There aren’t any established trails up here so you almost never see another person traipsing through this part of the forest.
The trees up here are huge and sometimes very close together.
I love looking up into the canopy. None of the sequoias have died in the drought but a lot of the other trees in the grove have.
Me with a tree.
One of the branches of the stream that comes down through the grove. The stream provides just enough water to keep the grove living.
An old forest locating mark from the original survey of the area. Pretty cool!
Down in the lower grove. This area s really highly trafficked from all of the tourists. I wonder what damage everyone stomping around the roots is doing to these huge trees.
Another view into the upper grove.
These sure are big, majestic trees.
Upper McKinley Grove
We went over to check out the Sequoia Gigantea in McKinley Grove.
These huge trees have been here a very long time and will be here much longer.
My dad in the trees.
These sugar pine trees are dying due to the drought.
My mom in the trees.
Flowers in the understory.
An old burned out trunk.
Back down in the lower grove.
