Category Archives: 2-Sequioa and Kings Canyon Natl Parks, CA

Back in 1906 a logger named Boyden was exploring the area around Kings Canyon and chanced upon a cavern. He explored it a bit and then went back to where he worked (several miles away) and filed a miners claim to the area around and including the cavern. It was the only way to protect the cavern back in 1906.

He owned the claim for more than 10 years and in that time he took hardy tourists and cave explorers through the cavern for a quarter each. At this time (1906-1916) there were no roads so it was a hike through steep hills and rocky terrain to even get to the cavern! He lived in the cavern during the winters and in a small cabin nearby during the summers.

Once he was exploring the cavern on his own in the early spring, a time when water rushed through the cavern about shin-high, and he lost his balance in the rocky streambed and broke his lantern and got all his matches wet. Alone in the pitch black, he survived by crawling along the streambed for over 3 hours knowing it would lead him to the cavern entrance. When he died many years later he had no family to inherit the claim so it passed to the state and became part of Kings Canyon when the national park was formed.

We took a one-hour guided tour through the cavern. Very interesting, in a few places we had to duck under stalactites and squeeze through narrow areas. Well lighted except when the tour guide turned out the lights to show us what Boyden endured at least once.

Enjoy the pictures Jeff took:

2-Sequioa and Kings Canyon Natl Parks, CA, Places we Visit-Year 1

Latest Location: Sequoia National Park

August 19, 2012 paula

We drove from Julian to Three Rivers, Ca just outside the entrance to the Sequioa National Park on Friday August 17th. Long drive but an uneventful one which is good.

It’s even hotter here than it was in Julian, they’d been having highs of 104-106 and Friday it was a bit cooler (ha!) at 98. So we were really glad our A/C is again working.

On Saturday we went into the Sequioa National Park. I drove to give Jeff a break as he’s done all the driving so far. Very windy road and you start at about 1,000ft and end up over 5,000ft!

There was constructions going on and a couple of miles of that narrow, very windy road was down to one lane and delays of about 20 minutes while folks going the other direction made their way through the construction area, then we went. Luckily the place where we had to stop and wait had a fabulous view of Morro Rock. A different Morro Rock than the one in the beach near Morro Bay of course, but just as magnificent!

We went into the “Giant Forest” and as far as the General Sherman Tree area. The parking area to go see the General Sherman tree is about .5 miles away from the tree itself, so there’s a hike to see it, but downhill all the way. The tree itself, and many others in that area, is truly magnificently huge! Jeff exclaimed several times that he’d seen pictures and knew they would be big, but until you actually stand under them and see how large around and how tall they really are you can’t imagine what it’s really like. The park service made the trail very nice because in addition to a choice to hike back UPhill .5 miles to reach your car there’s a very slight downhill trail to some accessible parking and a shuttle will take you back to your vehicle. That’s what I wanted…no uphill strenuous hike for me!

The temperature change from the lower area where it was mid-90s to the Giant Forest where it was sprinkling and about the mid-60s was interesting. We hadn’t expected that much of a change, but it felt REALLY nice to have a cool breeze and some rain and it made the forest smell really good. It was fortunate as well for Laddy – we took him on the drive with us and he was very comfortable staying in the car while we hiked down to see the General Sherman tree…dogs not allowed on the trails!

We took lots of pictures and they are in some separate posts.