Yesterday we saw this huge lizard with a white tail called a Chuckwalla. They are part of the iguana family and say they make good pets. He was in the desert of the Mojave Desert region.
Today’s journey takes us to Sequoia National Park. It’s a 17 mile trip through the park with elevations over 7,000 feet.
As we entered the southern entrance, we started an upward climb. You see the mountains and valleys. Nothing that resembles a large sequoia tree.
Tunnel Rock is our first sight with this massive rock overhead.
We then climbed this huge granite rock called Moro, below.
Next we started seeing huge Sequoia trees. Fire creates ideal conditions for the Sequoia seeds to germinate and for seedlings to grow. The heat from fires dries overhanging pine cones, causing them to open. Cones then drop seedlings onto ash-fertilized ground, which creates the perfect seedbed. Each cone can have over 200 seedlings. The thick fibrous bark insulates the tree from the extreme heat. The bark holds very little sap or pitch so it’s not very flammable. A lot of the giant Sequoias have fire scars. The large Sequoias are over 2000 years old. The pictures below are a 2 part, look at both pictures as one picture.
By volume, it is the largest known living tree on earth with a estimated age of 2,300–2,700 years. It stands 275 feet tall, and circumference at the ground is 102 feet.
The Pinecone can stay on a Sequoia tree for 20 years. This pinecone is about 5 times the size of a normal pine cone.
The third largest tree by volume on earth is also in the national park. It’s name is General Grant. It is 1,500 years younger than the oldest known sequoia tree.
Lastly, I noticed several different flowers in bloom in the park. I just wanted to share the beauty of them. I hope my blog makes you feel as if you visited the park. Enjoy!
OtterTales 