State Park
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Calaveras Big Trees State Park |
May 19, 2018
For some time, local friend Eileen has been hounding me about a re-visit
to the Big Trees; so here we are. I am mildly disappointed to see no swarms
of ladybugs present on this occasion; on the other hand, there are no swarms of
mosquitoes either.
This group has done so much over the years
Because it took less than two hours to drive here, the Visitor Center has
not yet opened; so we head directly for the most popular trail —
the North Grove Loop. Immediately I am reminded that this is
tourist-land when I overhear a man on his cell-phone exclaiming
in all seriousness that, "We just saw one of those wild squirrels!"
The Dogwood blossoms are plentiful today
The first attraction on the loop is what remains of the Discovery Tree, cut down in 1853 at the ripe young age of 1,244 years. Pieces of the tree were displayed in San Francisco and New York City as a potential tourist attraction; but the financial venture was unsuccessful. Fittingly enough, the entire exhibit was destroyed by fire while awaiting shipment to Paris. This particular giant was selected solely because it was the biggest one measured at the time.
Discovery Stump, 24 feet wide, was used as a dance floor
Nice roots
Old Bachelor
Beautiful
The trail goes in-between...
...and straight through
Father of the Forest, on the left
At the far end of the loop trail is another testament to avarice and stupidity:
Mother of the Forest
A signpost has the details, including commentary by my hero:
No great men were involved in that scheme ⇔
It seems that those profiteers' plans also backfired, in perfect irony.
This former Pioneer Cabin Tree fell in a January, 2017 rainstorm
Also known as the Tunnel Tree, that one measured 33 feet in diameter.
The Three Graces
At the end of this trail is the Visitor Center, which now is open. One of the first things noticed is an exhibit of the fox that Eileen and I spotted crossing the road just a little while ago.
Island Fox
Bobcat
The Giant Sequoia cone is the tiny one. Go figure.
It's a nine-mile drive down to the next venue, which neither of
us has visited previously. A real hike is involved here, so that should
help to weed out the litterbug sandal-set.
Into the South Grove
Beaver Creek
Eileen has opted to use my walking stick, although I doubt that she will need it. Trails don't come any easier than the ones in this park.
What is that growth, and how did it get there?
A small loop option is available; so we take it, because it must be here for a reason.
Yes, there are some big guys over here
The one in the middle didn't make it
Two boulders collaborate to form a tunnel
Pine Violets are the only flowers on the trail today
This tree has an unusual feature — a hole burned through it all the way to the top
After half a mile, including a spot where we must crawl underneath a fallen log, the main trail is regained.
Named after the real Palace Hotel, San Francisco's finest at the time
The trail ends here at the biggest tree in the park
Agassiz Tree
Louis Agassiz, a Swiss-American biologist and geologist in the middle 1800s, was a prodigious scholar of Earth's natural history, and he studied and taught at numerous universities. Ultimately, however, his scientific racism and rejection of the principles of evolution served to discredit him. Three California mountain peaks also are named after Dr. Agassiz.
It is 250 feet high and 25 feet in diameter
It seems right to wander around to the back side of this monster.
This one also has been through the wars
A handy fallen log provides a good bench for a lunch stop here, beside Big Trees Creek. It seems that Eileen has packed more than enough goodies for us both; and that's a good thing, because I brought nothing at all. In fact, I didn't even bother with hiking pants or boots today!
On the way back is a huge tree with several openings in its trunk:
The tree in front of me...
...also is behind me
Is this two trees, or just one? I am undecided.
Once out of the grove, it's a mile-and-a-half downhill slog back to the trailhead.
Nearing the end
§: It always is a pleasure to commune with the Giant
Sequoias — the planet's biggest and most majestic living things.
Although I knew much of the history of this place already, I learned a few new
things today. Eileen also was delighted finally to revisit this park and do
it some justice.
| Scenery |  |
| History lesson |  |
| Difficulty |  |
| Flowers |  |
The South Grove
