For those of you who live closer to sea level, the elevation
of 7,000 feet may not be bothersome, but stay hydrated and stretch before you
embark on your walking, climbing, and hiking adventures. We tackled Moro Rock
first, and I felt nervous about the spaciousness which left me feeling like an
ant! I don’t believe that my fears about safety were warranted, but I was glad
that Mr. Spice walked down ahead of me.
We walked around Crescent Meadow, which was lovely. This is
a great place to build in some picnic time and relax. Remove from your vehicle all
food, beverages, and hygiene products that may have a fragrance, and store in
one of the metal “bear boxes” next to the parking area.
I thought I went to the gym often enough to also visit the
Crystal Cave that afternoon. I managed the hike down and back up, but was
really worn out by the combination of activities. I feel kind of wimpy
admitting my pain, but would rather save someone else the pulled hamstring! The
cave was neat, and I’d recommend it. Bear box near the parking area again, and
this time we saw a bear on the way back up from the cave- far enough away to
not be nerve-wracking.
Finally, Mr. Spice insisted on a visit to the General
Sherman Tree. I was pretty wiped out, but didn’t want to sit in the car while
he saw the giant sequoia! “Its’ only half a mile each way” is irrelevant if the
total for the day is 9.5 miles. Perhaps my physical exhaustion tainted my
impression of the tree, but I liked the General Grant Tree in King’s Canyon the
next day much better.
We departed Sequoia and headed north through King’s Canyon,
detouring at Mr. Spice’s request to see another grove of sequoias. I cannot
recommend this stop highly enough- it was really neat! Autumn is a good time of
year to visit without tremendous crowds! If you've visited these parks, do you have a favorite part?
