Backpacking in California - June 2006, Part 6

(continued from "Backpacking in California - June 2006, Part 5")

The next morning, we packed up. Our Sierra trip was nearing the end, but we still wanted to make a few stops in Kings Canyon National Park and Sequoia NP.

Kings Canyon National Park is even more beautiful than Yosemite (in my opinion). Although hanging waterfalls don't slap you in the face at Kings Canyon, the ecotones and vegetation, as well as the sheer granite cliffs with the river running below are far more impressive. I saw more vegetational diversity at Kings Canyon than I did at Yosemite. It makes me wonder if Yosemite is too managed (i.e. less fire & other habitat management activities in exchange for more human-related attractions [the Valley is a good example]).

The Kings River was raging due to the snowmelt. If a person were to slip into the river, they would be long gone and dead before they could be pulled from the river. The Kings River cuts through the granite cliffs of Kings Canyon to a depth of 8,000 feet. This is deeper than the Grand Canyon. Photos cannot do this place justice. It is awesome. John Muir declared that Kings Canyon rivals Yosemite in granduer and beauty. Perhaps it's good that few people visit this national park.

We hiked a trail at Road's End (can't remember the name of the trail at the moment). It followed the valley and river. It was so beautiful. I would have loved to stay there forever. We definitely want to go on a backpacking trip in Kings Canyon next time and skip Yosemite.

(to be continued...soon)

General Sherman is the largest tree in the world (by volume). It stands 274.9 feet high and the circumference at its base is 102.6 feet.