Travel/POI: Sequoia National Park (紅杉國家公園), California - Tunnel Log, Big Trees Trail, Giant Forest Museum, General Sherman Tree

Sequoia National Park Introduction and Several Attractions Introductory Post 紅杉國家公園簡介及幾個景點介紹的帖子

Highlights of the Sequoia National Park are, of course, the giant sequoia trees. After leaving the Moro Rock Trail, we drove along Crescent Meadow Road to the Parker Group. These giant sequoias were named for the eight members of the family of Captain James Parker. Captain Parker served in Troop B, 4th Cavalry , U.S. Army and was the Acting Superintendent of Sequoia National Park from 1893-1894 – the second military superintendent of the park. The military stayed near the Parker Group at a site called Soldiers Camp. The Giant sequoia grow to an average height of 50–85 m (164–279 ft) with trunk diameters ranging from 6–8 m (20–26 ft). No wonder we stood under the tree, we looked like people from Lilliput.
紅杉國家公園的亮點當然是巨大的紅杉樹。離開摩洛岩步道之後，我們沿著新月草甸路 (Crescent Meadow Road) 開車前往帕克群 (Parker Group)。這些巨型紅杉以詹姆斯·帕克船長家族的八名成員的名字命名。帕克上尉在美國陸軍第 4 騎兵團 B 部隊服役，在 1893 年至 1894 年間擔任紅杉國家公園的代理總監，也就是公園的第二任軍事總監。軍隊駐紮在帕克集團附近一個名為「士兵營地」(Soldiers Camp)的地方。巨型紅杉的平均高度為 50–85 公尺（164–279 英尺），樹幹直徑為 6–8 公尺（20–26 英尺）。難怪我們站在樹下，看起來就像是來自小人國的人。

Photo Date: 2017.04.26, 2023.10.08, 2024.09.10 Location: Parker Group

Before the Park Group, we first passed the Buttress Tree. We did not stop to take photos in 2023. Below are the photos from 2017. The Buttress Tree fell without warning on June 3, 1959. Its roots, like all sequoias, grew in a shallow, matted maze. Although sequoia roots can extend as much as 300 feet outwards, they rarely grow deeper than 12 feet. This leaves the trees vulnerable to erosion and changing soil conditions.
在帕克群之前，我們先經過支柱基板根 (Buttress Tree)，2023年我們沒有停下來照像，下面是2017的照片。支柱基板根於 1959 年 6 月 3 日毫無徵兆地倒下，像所有紅杉一樣，它的根像是生長在一個淺而雜亂的迷宮中。雖然紅杉的根部可以向外延伸 300 英尺，但它們的深度很少超過 12 英尺，因而樹木容易受到侵蝕和土壤條件變化的影響。

Photo Date: 2017.04.26 Location: Buttress Tree

The fallen Tunnel Log came into being after a giant sequoia fell across the Crescent Meadow Road in late 1937. Rather than remove it, Civilian Conservation Corps workers tunneled through it the following summer to become a visitor attraction. The tunnel, which remains in use today, is 17 feet wide and 8 feet high. We drove through it for the first time in 2017 and found it quite interesting. We drove through it again in 2023 as well as 2024 and still found it very fun.
1937 年底一棵巨大的紅杉在新月草甸路上倒下，倒下的隧道樹 (Tunnel Log) 就應運而生。平民保育團的工作人員並沒有挪開它，而是在第二年夏天挖了個隧道，把它變成了一個旅遊景點。這條隧道至今仍在使用，寬 17 英尺，高 8 英尺。我們在2017年第一次開車穿過它，覺得頗有意思的。2023及2024年又開過去一次，還是覺得很很玩。

Photo Date: 2017.04.26, 2023.10.08 Location: Tunnel Log

Auto Log. After a giant redwood fell beside Crescent Meadow Road in February 1917, Sequoia National Park Superintendent Water Fry authorized construction of a trestle, replaced with a driveway a year later, which enabled horse-drawn carriages and automobiles to drive atop the fallen trunk. Although Auto Log can no longer support the weight of vehicles, park visitors may still walk the length of the rotten trunk.
1917 年 2 月，新月草甸路旁一棵巨大的紅杉倒下，紅杉國家公園負責人沃特·弗萊(Water Fry) 授權建造一座棧橋，一年後改建為車道，使馬車和汽車可以在倒下的樹幹上行駛。雖然汽車原木(Auto Log)不再能夠支撐車子的重量，但公園遊客仍然可以沿著腐爛的樹幹走走。

Photo Date: 204.09.10 Location: Auto Log

Going back to the Generals Highway, we went to Big Trees Trail for a walk. This flat and paved nature trail circling 0.8 miles beneath towering sequoias along the edges of Round Meadow. It is an easy, educational, and beautiful hike through giant sequoias in Sequoia National Park’s Giant Forest. The Giant Forest, named in 1875 by a famous naturalist and conservationist John Muir (1838-1914), is the world’s second largest giant sequoia grove and home to the world’s biggest tree, the General Sherman Tree. A dozen display panels are posted along Big Trees Trail, describing the area’s sequoias and history. Round Meadow is one of the greatest areas of the most famous sequoia grove.
回到將軍公路上，我們去大樹步道(Big Trees Trail)。這條平坦的自然步道在圓形草甸 (Round Meadow) 邊緣的高聳紅杉下盤環 0.8 英里。這是一個輕鬆、有教育性而且美麗的步道，穿越紅杉國家公園巨木森林 (Giant Forest) 中的巨型紅杉。巨木森林由著名博物學家和環境保護主義者約翰·繆爾（John Muir，1838-1914 年）於 1875 年命名，是世界第二大巨型紅杉林，也是世界上最大的樹謝爾曼將軍樹 (General Sherman Tree) 的所在地。沿著大樹步道張貼了十幾個展示板，介紹這地區的紅杉和歷史。圓形草甸則是最著名的紅杉樹林中最大的地區之一。

Photo Date: 2023.10.08, 2024.09.10 Location: Big Trees Trail

The Clara Barton Tree can also be seen on the Big Trees Trail. Trees throughout Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks are named for a variety of extraordinary people. The Clara Barton Tree honors this Civil War nurse, a teacher, and patent clerk and the founder of the American Red Cross, who lived from 1821 to 1912. It is one of only two trees named for women. The other, the Susan B. Anthony Tree, can be seen from this trail too. Famous Redwoods: Susan B. Anthony page has a map and it might help you to locate it.
在大樹步道上也可以看到克拉拉·巴頓樹(Clara Barton Tree)。紅杉和國王峽谷國家公園的樹木常以各種傑出人物的名字命名。克拉拉·巴頓樹就是為了紀念這位內戰時期的護士、教師、申請專利的職員和美國紅十字會的創始人，她活於1821 年至1912 年。它是僅有的兩棵以女性命名的樹之一。從這條步道上也可以看到另一棵以女性命名的樹Susan B. Anthony Tree。在 Famous Redwoods: Susan B. Anthony 頁面上有一張地圖，可能有助您找到它。

We had a picnic at the parking lot near the Giant Forest Museum at noon so I could take a closer look at the charred tree trunks. I was surprised at their strong vitality. The trunks left huge burn scars, but the whole tree was still thriving.
中午在巨木森林博物馆(Giant Forest Museum)附近的停車場野餐，因而仔細看看燒焦的樹幹，也很驚訝它們強健的生命力，樹幹留下巨大的燒傷疤痕，但是整棵樹仍茁壯成長。

Giant Forest Museum is designed to serve as the starting point for visits to the grove. Here you can learn how to identify trees, discover the difference between California coastal redwoods and giant sequoias, explore the ecology and natural history of the park through interactive exhibits. You can also access the Sentinel Tree standing directly in front of the Giant Forest Museum. It is the 43rd largest giant sequoia in the world.
巨木森林博物館旨在作為參觀樹林的起點。在這裡您可以學習如何辨識樹木，了解加州沿海紅杉和巨型紅杉之間的差異，透過互動展覽探索公園的生態和自然歷史。你也可以造訪矗立在巨木森林博物館正前方的哨兵樹 (Sentinel tree) ，它是世界上第 43 大巨杉。

Photo Date: 2023.10.08 Location: Giant Forest Museum

Of course, when you visit Sequoia National Park, you must see the largest tree in the world by volume - The General Sherman Tree. The General Sherman tree was named after the American Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman. It stands 275 feet (83 m) tall, and is over 36 feet (11 m) in diameter at the base, an estimated bole volume of 1,487 m3 (52,513 cu ft), and an estimated age of 2,300–2,700 years. It can be accessed via the Sherman Tree Trailhead off of Wolverton Road. The trail runs half a mile (0.8 km) down to the tree. It has a few stairs and is paved. Another wheelchair-accessible trail also leads a short distance to the tree. Those with disability parking placards can park in a small lot along the edge of the Generals Highway. If you don't have a placard, during shuttle season you can ride park shuttles to the accessible trail. In 2017 my husband and I walked the Sherman Tree Trail. Later, in 2019 to be considerate of my aging parents and in 2023 to be considerate of friends, my husband dropped us off at the handicapped parking lot so that we could walk less. Then he would come back to pick us up one hour later.
來到紅杉國家公園當然一定要去看看以體積計算世界上最大的樹 - 雪曼將軍樹 (The General Sherman Tree)。雪曼將軍樹以美國內戰將軍威廉·特庫姆塞·雪曼的名字命名。它高 83 公尺 (275 英尺)，底部直徑超過 11 公尺 (36 英尺)，樹幹體積約為 1,487 立方公尺（52,513 立方英尺），樹齡約為 2,300-2,700 年。可經由沃爾弗頓路 (Wolverton Road) 附近的雪曼樹步道 (Sherman Tree Trailhead) 到達，這條步道全長半英里（0.8 公里）一直到樹下，它有幾個樓梯，但是是鋪好的路。另一條可供輪椅通行的步道也可到離這棵樹不遠處。那些有殘障停車標誌的人可以把車停在將軍高速公路邊緣的一個小停車場。如果您沒有殘障停車標誌，在接駁車季節，可以搭乘公園接駁車前往這無障礙步道。2017年我跟我先生是走雪曼樹步道，後來在2019年為了體貼我年邁的父母，2023年體貼朋友，我先生就放我們在殘障人停車場下車，讓我們少走一些路，一小時後他再來接我們。

You can still see some leftover snow beside the trail on April 26, 2017. Although many people wanted to take photos with The General Sherman tree, at least we were able to find a chance to take photos alone.
2017年4月26日在步道旁仍能看到一些殘雪。雖然有不少人想要與雪曼將軍樹合照，至少我們還找得到空隙照獨照。

The number of people waiting to take photos with the General Sherman Tree on October 8, 2023 as well as on September 10, 2024 was unimaginable. We didn’t want to stand in line so we just stood far away and took photos.
2023 年 10 月 8 日及2024 年 9 月 10 日等著跟雪曼將軍樹照像的人之多，真是無法想像，我們不想排隊，就湊合著站遠遠的照。

Photo Date: 2023.10.08, 2024.09.10 Location: Gerneral Sherman Tree

Every opportunity to get together is precious. Who knew that June of 2019 would be our last trip with my parents. At that time, my parents were mid 80 years old. My father was still in good health and my mother could still move around freely. Now my father is no longer alive and my mother has difficulty moving. Looking at the old photos makes me even more grateful to God. Because of the wildflower super bloom in Southern California in 2019, my parents made the impromptu decision to come to the United States to enjoy the flowers and to live with us for nearly two months which allowed us to have spent precious time together. Who could have thought the subsequent pandemic event would hit and what would happen next, so we should treasure and seize every opportunity to spend time together.
每次相聚的機會都是珍貴的。誰知 2019 年 6 月是我們最後一次與爸媽一起旅遊。那時候我的父母已經 80 多歲了，爸爸仍身體強健，媽媽仍行動自如，而今爸爸已不在人世而媽媽也行動不便。看著舊照片，更讓我感謝神，因著 2019 年南加州的野花超級盛開，爸媽臨時決定來美個賞花和我們一起生活了近兩個月，讓我們能有一段寶貴的共處時光。誰能料到之後的疫情會襲來及隨之而來的事情，所以應該珍惜並把握住每一個相聚的機會。

It is usually difficult to book accommodation in national parks. In 2024, we were lucky enough to book a cabin at the John Muir Lodge. Although the cabin was a bit old, it was quite comfortable to sleep in and it also had its own bathroom. In contrast, the neighboring tents need to use public bathroom facilities. Besides cabins and tents, John Muir Lodge also offers hotel rooms. Nearby, food is available at the Grant Grove Restaurant and Grant Grove Market. Although John Muir Lodge is part of Kings Canyon National Park, It is adjacent to the Sequoia National Park. We ate at Grant Grove Restaurant for dinner and breakfast. The food at dinner was very good and beyond our expectations. But we were not impressed by the breakfast.
通常國家公園內的住宿是很難定得到，2024年我們幸運訂到約翰繆爾旅館 (John Muir Lodge)的小木屋，房屋雖然有些老舊簡漏，但是睡得蠻舒服的，屋內也有自己的衛浴設備。相較之下比鄰近的帳棚屋好多了，鄰近的帳棚屋則需用公共的衛浴設備。除了小木屋和帳篷外，約翰繆爾旅館還提供飯店客房。附近的格蘭特林 (Grant Grove) 餐廳和格蘭特林市場也有提供美食。雖然約翰繆爾旅館是國王峽谷國家公園的一部分，但它毗鄰紅杉國家公園。我們在格蘭特林餐廳吃晚餐和早餐。晚餐的食物非常好，超出了我們的預期。但早餐卻不怎麼樣。