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Calaveras
Big Trees State Park Hike
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Trip Date: 12/23/2018
Distance: 10.3 Miles
Vertical Gain:
150'
Group Size:
7
Hike Rating: Easy
Moderate
Hard
Strenuous |
GPX for
this trip
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Start Coordinates: |
N 38 16.628, W 120 18.527 |
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End Coordinates: |
Same as Start Coordinates |
| Car Shuttle
Req'd: |
No |
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Parking
Directions: |
Take
Highway 4 to Big Trees Parkway. Head east from the Highway 4 and
then turn into the park and find spaces either to the left or
right. |
| Hazards of
Note: |
Very few. This is a well-defined trail through the Sequoia grove with detailed maps available from the visitor center.
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Crowd Factor: |
Heavy.
This is a popular destination, even in the winter when there can be some snow but usually isn't overwhelming. |
General Notes:
From
the parking area head back toward the visitor center, where you can get
information and all sorts of items to purchase with the state park and
sequoia tree logos on them. Continue on past this to the warming
hut, which is a good location in winter to grab a warm drink before and
after your trek around the area. The trees are an amazing sight,
regardless of the number of times you have seen them. They are
simply massive, but also majestic and the sheer hight of many of them
constantly takes your breath away.
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Just outside of the visitor center is a sign which starts the trek through the giant trees. |
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The
warming hut was a pleasant stop on a cold December day where they
served hot beverages and gave everyone a chance to heat up before and
after the walk. |
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Two of
the group posing for a picture just at the start of the hike.
Next to it is the obligatory picture of those taking the picture
of the two posing. |
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The
stairs take you up to a tree platform which helps to give you a sense
of the massive size of the trees that are growing here. |
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Our daughter-in-law dwarfed by the size of one of the fallen trees.
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Hard not
to be overwhelmingly impressed by the massive size of the Sequoia trees
when you look up at them towering over everything in the area. |
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Our 6'5" son and his family dwarfed by the massive trees all around. |
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Exploring the humongous roots from another fallen tree along the way. |
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That treefall required some pretty hefty trail maintenance to fix the way past it. |
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Two of the group taking in the sights all around. |
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Along one section you can walk through a hollow fallen tree, without having to duck. |
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Most of the group on the way back to the warming hut. |
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GPS Track of the full hike. |
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