Page 43 - 2015 Travel Guide to California

FLOATING ON THE MERCED RIVER, Yosemite National
Park, left; hiker in a giant sequoia forest in Redwood
National and State Parks, below; Roosevelt elk bulls lock
antlers during the September breeding season, also in
Redwood National and State Parks, bottom.
largest by volume—head south to Sequoia
and Kings Canyon National Parks and
marvel at the weighty General Sherman.
While still in the mountains, take a trip to
Lake Tahoe, North America’s largest alpine
lake. Along the lake’s west shore, D.L. Bliss,
Emerald Bay and Sugar Pine Point state
parks offer camping, hiking and white
sand beaches. Farther north at Lassen Vol-
canic National Park, watch California take
shape in the roaring fumaroles, thumping
mud pots and boiling pools.
Giants in the Mist
While the Sierras are home to the heftiest
redwoods, the state’s fog-shrouded coastal
range from Oregon to Big Sur boasts the
loftiest—several are taller than the Statue
of Liberty. These rare trees, once logged to
near extinction, are now protected within
California’s redwood parks.
At Humboldt Redwoods State Park,
home to the largest continuous old growth
redwood forest on earth, drive the 31-mile
Avenue of the Giants and make stops along
the way to stroll among the titans.
Founders Grove with its majestic 346-foot
specimen is always a favorite. Visit in
spring to see the pink redwood lilies and
purple calypso orchids in bloom.
Farther north and closer to the coast, the
Redwood National and State Parks is a col-
lection of four parks with miles of
unspoiled coast and hiking trails. The
tallest recorded Coast Redwood hides here,
its location kept secret to protect it. How-
ever, you can visit the remote Tall Trees
Grove if you have a day to spare and want
to nab one of the 50 daily permits. But all
the parks provide easy access to magnifi-
cent groves as well as picnic sites,
campgrounds and trails for hikers, cyclists
and horses.
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