The Congress Trail

Overview

  If you were to find yourself in Sequoia National Park, and you only had the time or inclination to take one hike and one hike only, then the Congress Trail would be your hike. This trail, which features the world-famous Sherman Tree and many other astonishing sequoia specimens, offers a gentle, easy-to-follow three mile loop through the heart of the greatest forest in the world. Yes, I am making that statement. Judged solely on the merits of the sequoia tree, which is the largest living thing on the planet, not to mention one of the tallest and oldest, the Giant Forest would be considered one of the world’s great forests. Factor in the lush meadows, carpets of ferns and lupines, omnipresent wildlife, thickets of flowering dogwoods, countless trickling streams, and other superlative trees – the sugar pine and the red fir are also the tallest of their respective species, and there you have it: The world’s greatest forest. Shooting Stars in Circle Meadow This author’s ridiculous claims aside, any hiker on the Congress Trail is in for a treat. Years of history, tremendous trees, and accessibility intersect here to provide an excellent starter course into the wonders of the Giant Forest area. The trail is very easy to follow, given that it is the only completely paved trail in the area. Furthermore, the gentle terrain make this hike accessible to hikers of any skill, from toddler to elderly to physically handicapped. This author thinking up more ridiculous claims The history of Giant Forest is full of colorful characters as well as short-sighted ventures leading to relatively sage management practices. Hale Tharp, he of the cabin-in-a-sequoia log fame, was the first white man to visit the area, and he was followed not long after by John Muir, who may or may not have said a few good words about the sequoias, thus leading to their protection by something called the National Park Service. By 1899, visitors began flocking to see the massive trees, and when the first road was completed into the area, more and more peop

Trail Stats

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