Treasure Tales G-H

Constructed in 1930-31, the historic Generals Highway Stone Bridges over the Marble Fork and Clover Creek, about a mile apart in Sequoia National Park, are beautiful, enduring examples of the National Parks’ famous “rustic architecture,” harmonizing them with the landscape while providing access to park resources. Enjoy picnic facilities with restroom and river access at the photogenic Marble Fork site.

Giant Forest, deservedly the most-visited single feature in Sequoia National Park, contains five of the ten largest giant sequoias, including the biggest, General Sherman; miles of easy hiking trails; a fine museum; picnic areas with restrooms; beautiful meadows; wonderful wildflowers; abundant wildlife; scenic drives; Moro Rock; Tharp’s Log; Ranger programs; and year-round amazement and delight. Includes video.

In April, 2000, 327,000 acres (27%) of Sequoia National Forest became Giant Sequoia National Monument, expressly to save their sequoias from commercial logging, while still inviting backpacking, birding, camping, dog walking, fishing, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, mountain biking, OHV riding, photography, picnicking, skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and wildlife viewing in Big Tree country.

The Sequoia National Forest’s 300,000 acre Golden Trout Wilderness, in southeast Tulare County, is home to California’s State fish (its namesake), the Wild and Scenic Kern River, miles of meadows, small streams, mixed conifer forests, and many mountains — great for backpackers, birders, campers, fisher folk, hikers, equestrians, hunters, photographers, rock climbers, winter sports, native plants, and wildlife.

In 1890, four square miles around the magnificent General Grant Tree became General Grant National Park, which, in 1940, became part of the new Kings Canyon National Park. Its pristine, easily accessible giant sequoia grove, trails, streams, meadows, wildlife, visitor center, lodging, restaurant, museum, campgrounds, picnic sites, historic structures, and Ranger programs keep it a favorite destination.

Established in 2000, the 725-acre James K. Herbert Wetland Prairie Preserve, owned and managed by Sequoia Riverlands Trust, protects Tulare County’s largest remaining natural prairie. Ongoing restoration work is dramatically increasing its abundance of native wetland prairie plants and animals and more than doubled the number of bird species on the property (to over 150). Grab your binoculars and join an SRT-led tour, or view this preserve from its fenceline anytime. Includes video.

Sequoia National Park’s Hockett Meadow Ranger Station and its small adjacent barn were built in 1934 by CCC workers using natural, native materials — lodgepole pine logs, hand-cut shakes, and granite rock — to harmonize them with their wild landscape per National Park “Parkitecture” guidelines. Timeless and sturdy, they’ll continue to shelter backcountry rangers and crews for years to come.

The ancient mound and swale landforms called hogwallows locally, or mima mounds scientifically, once covered thousands of acres in Tulare County, but they were rapidly being bulldozed, to provide level land for agriculture, housing, or business sites, when, in 1979, Dr. Phil Buckman and his daughter Carol dedicated 10 never-cultivated acres of their land to be protected in perpetuity as a Hogwallow Preserve. Includes video.

While soil scientists have posited over 30 theories to explain the cause of the mounds in hogwallow landscapes, the dominant conclusion is that they are the work of pocket gophers. The creation story of the Wukchumni Yokuts people says the mounds (Pawkawkwitch) were made by the People when they emptied their baskets of the leftover dirt after they finished building the high mountains for Eagle.

Majestic oak and sycamore woodlands, seasonal Dry Creek, wildflower and wildlife viewing, trails, birding, photography, picnicking, and periodic educational and volunteer activities bring visitors to this beautiful 1800-acre foothill working ranch. Preserved and stewarded by Sequoia Riverlands Trust, it’s an exceptional Tulare County landscape little changed since the 1880s early ranching days.