Kings Canyon National Park

After lunch, we drove over to King's Canyon and Grant Grove, where the General Grant tree is. Walking out of the lodge, we saw several mule deer in the bushes next to the building. It's a dense thicket, and well shaded, and I wouldn't be surprised if they sleep there overnight.

The General Grant Tree is just as impressive as the Sherman. There are so many colossal trees! The branches of the Sequoias are so far up, but you can still see that they are huge. Some of these trees are over 2,200 years old. That's hard for me to put my brain around. And, to be so tall, their roots aren't over a meter deep. No tap root! Their roots spread out horizontally to anchor the tree. The roots of neighboring trees interlock to support each other. Because the bark can be several feet thick, they are particularly resistant to fire and pest damage. They usually die from getting so tall and heavy that they just fall over.

One of the trees that fell over was hollowed out enough that you could walk through it - the kids chose to run, twice. They loved the novelty.

So, today is our last day in a national park. We have had a great collection of experiences. Tomorrow, San Diego.