Travels and Adventures: June 2008

I took a day trip on June 14, 2008 to the mountains again. This time I started near Springville, CA and drove up to Sherman Pass and then back home to Bakersfield, via Mountain Road 99 to Hwy 178. The road twists and turns as it makes its way up the mountain, but the views are spectacular once you get up into the forest. There is no smell quite as wonderful as a pine forest. I took plenty of pictures, but I wish I could bottle up that forest smell and send it on a postcard so my friends can smell it, too - lol. Oh, and the weather was fantastic! Being that it was supposed to reach 102 in Bakersfield, the cool mountain air felt great! There were even patches of snow up near the top of Sherman Pass. Oh....and lots of wildflowers. I am telling you, this summer is going to be great up in the mountains. And it is just getting started.

I posted some pictures below. Enjoy!

I went up to King's Canyon National Park, via Hwy 245 on Friday, June 13, 2008. Even though the wildflowers at the lower elevations have all but disappeared, the wildflower season in the mountains is just beginning. I found lots and lots of Bachelor's Buttons on Hwy 245 near the town of Badger, CA. Also, lots and lots of Mountain Pride Penstemon, Mustang Linanthus, Pussypaws, and Blue Eyed Marys can be found in King's Canyon as well. I didn't venture down into the canyon itself....that will be for another trip (maybe this weekend??). I went up the 245 into the park and then down to Sequoia National Park. Besides all the lovely wildflowers, there was the beautiful forest to see as well. Giant Sequoias grow here. The biggest tree in the world, The General Sherman, can be found here in Sequoia National Park. It is a bit of a hike down to the tree (you descend over 200 feet down, which means you have to walk back up - hehe), but once you get there and you look up at The General, you feel reallllly small. If you are not much of a hiker, you can walk down to the tree and then take the shuttle back up to the parking lot...something I did not know at the time - lol.

All along the road going back to the Foothills park entrance of Sequoia National Park, you are greeted with splashes of color from various wildflowers, especially Flannel Bush, which is abundant. I didn't have much time to stop and take pictures, since it was getting dark, but next time, for sure! I really want to go to Zumwalt Meadow in King's Canyon and Crescent Meadow in Sequoia National Park. I remember those 2 places as being beautiful places to walk.

I posted some pictures below. Enjoy!

Links to Check Out:

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park Website
Kings Canyon Visitor Guide
GORP - Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Sequoia and Kings Canyon Park Info