Page 108 - 2022-2023 Travel Guide to California

TULARE COUNTY
Explore Tulare County for the national parks in its backyard, the diverse
local history and down-home agricultural communities
TASTE, EXPLORE,
WALK AMONG
GIANTS
Discover Tulare County
DiscoverTulareCounty.com
Tulare County’s diverse landscape
begins on the San Joaquin Valley’s fer-
tile floor of flowering orchards and
scenic views, rising to the 14,000-foot-high
Sierra Nevada mountain range—all within
reach of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon
National Parks, the Sequoia National Forest
and the Giant Sequoia National Monument.
B Y L E N O R E G R E I N E R
Tulare County became the nation’s number
one milk processing county. In fact, the
butter, ice cream and milk in your kitchen
probably all hail from Tulare County.
TOP OF MORO ROCK TRAIL, Sequoia National
Park, above; Reimer's Candies & Gifts, below.
Wilderness Wonders
As the gateway to Sequoia National Park,
Three Rivers is a true foothill village,
perfect for dining and lodging amid spec-
tacular scenery. Stop by Reimer’s Candies
and Gifts, Sierra Subs or The Gateway
Restaurant and Lodge. Outside town, take
an awe-inspiring drive to the land of giants
on the Generals Highway. In Sequoia
National Park, encounter the General
Sherman, a giant sequoia over 2,200 years
old and the largest living single-stem tree
on Earth. And in Kings Canyon National
Park stands the General Grant, the world’s
second-largest giant sequoia, only 1,650-
years old. Nearby, explore the Giant Sequoia
National Monument, found inside the
1-million-acre Sequoia National Forest.
Both wildernesses offer abundant camping,
world-class whitewater rapids, fishing,
hiking, biking, horseback riding, and more.
An Agricultural Powerhouse
As melting Sierra snows filled its water
wells, through the years 5,000-square-mile
Multicultural Local History
In Visalia, visit the Tulare County Museum
for local history and to view one of Cali-
fornia’s largest Native American basket
collections. Inside its doors, the History of
Farm Labor and Agriculture Museum
focuses on each cultural group’s contribu-
tions to this agricultural powerhouse.
Afterwards, enjoy the town’s diverse cuisine:
Indian, Mexican, Middle Eastern or Filipino.
As California’s first town founded and
run by African Americans, Allensworth rose
from flat farm country in 1908. Today, his-
tory comes alive at the Colonel Allensworth
State Historic Park. Stroll a collection of
restored and reconstructed early 20th
-
century buildings, including an historic
schoolhouse, Baptist church, library and
the home of town founder and formerly
enslaved Colonel Allen Allensworth.
Family Fun
In Lindsay, families will love McDermont X,
a giant entertainment complex offering
a Flowrider surfing pool, arcade, rock-
climbing wall, laser or archery tag and
bounce houses. In Springville, families can
camp in a cool, green grove of Giant Sequoia
trees in Tulare County’s Balch Park.
106 2022-23 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA
BENNYMARTY/GETTY IMAGES; DISCOVER TULARE COUNTY