Big Trees – Jackson, CA, USA, July 17, 2022

Flexibility has been key in our travels.  For example, when we encountered 100+ temperatures, we changed plans to get out of AZ.  Then, when the hotels in southern California appeared all booked, so we headed north (hard to believe there is a recession looming when EVERYONE is on vacation!).  We had hoped to go to Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks, but due to the wildfires closing off the roads, we changed plans yet again. 

To fill our big tree quota, we headed to Calaveras State Park in Northern California allowing us to see the Sequoias and get an affordable hotel. We snaked our way over the Sierra Neveda Mountains which are stunning with huge pine trees everywhere.

Then we took a 5-mile hike to explore the park.  The sequoias are wider than the redwoods and the redwoods are taller than the sequoias.  Naturally growing sequoias are only found in California (west of the Sierra Nevada mountains) and China due to the specific growing conditions required which is moderate winter temperatures, great amount of water but low humidity.  Sequoias can get to an age of 3,000 years old.  We loved seeing these trees up close.