April 11

After crawling out of our tent very early, we continue our journey. Today's drive will be extremely long — 346 miles (approx. 5 hours 33 minutes) — and we are determined to stop at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park to see the largest tree in the world.

Our first stop is Father Crowley Vista, where we take a breakfast break and enjoy one last look back at Death Valley before pushing on. Apart from a brief ice cream stop, we drive straight through to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park. The drive is long because the Tioga Pass into Yosemite National Park is closed in winter due to snow (typically from November through late May or early June). We therefore take I-15 South toward Barstow, then Highway 58 West to Bakersfield, and Highway 99 North to Fresno. From Fresno we take Highway 41 North into Yosemite National Park, entering the park at the Ash Mountain Entrance.

Upon arriving at Sequoia and Kings Canyon, our first stop is the Foothills Visitor Center. We ask the rangers what can and should be seen in half a day. According to the ranger, simply driving through the parks takes a good 2 hours. Our first photo stop is Tunnel Rock, located just beyond the Visitor Center. A winding road climbs steeply upward past several scenic viewpoints, including Amphitheater Point, leading to Moro Rock at an elevation of 2,050 m — more than 400 steps that are absolutely worth climbing for a breathtaking panoramic view. After this stop we continue through the Giant Forest with its giant sequoias, pausing for photos at one tree or another, or beside a massive root. We also drive through Tunnel Log — a fallen giant sequoia with a tunnel carved through it so vehicles can pass. Shortly after, we experience the personal wildlife highlight of the entire holiday: from inside the car, we spot a black bear mother and her cub foraging for food.

We continue to Beetle Rock before heading to the world-famous attraction: the largest tree on Earth — General Sherman Tree, standing 84 m tall with a circumference of approximately 31 m. It belongs to the genus Sequoiadendron (giant sequoia). Giant sequoias can grow up to 311 feet tall, live up to 3,200 years, and weigh up to 1,400 tonnes!!

We drive on through the park, enjoying a stunning sunset, and arrive late in the evening at Oakhurst — a town that makes an ideal base for exploring Yosemite National Park, particularly Yosemite Valley (approx. 1 hour's drive), Mariposa Grove, and Glacier Point (approx. 1 hour's drive).