Kings Canyon National Park Day Trip
June 5, 2006
Went with Harry up to Kings Canyon for the day. We explored some of the national forest roads between Sequoia and Kings Canyon east of Grant Grove. We visited Buck Rock, which unfortunately was still closed due to snow, and then took a trip up seldom visited Lookout Peak. Views were awesome from this corner of the mountains, and snow was still quite plentiful in the high country. Warm temperatures caused streams and rivers to swell with snow melt. Here are some photos.
Tornado Meadow! Wonder how it got the name?
The grand staircase up the cliffs of Buck Rock Fire Lookout.
The view of the high country from Buck Rock.
The dirt road up to Buck Rock was blocked by numerous fallen tree. This past winter's heavy snowfall was hard on many trees in the local area, including the parks most famous tree, the General Sherman Giant Sequoia!
With time to spare, Harry and I decided to check out the Giant Sequoias in Little Boulder Grove.
Little Boulder Grove.
Large pines are dwarfed by the trunks of the resident Sequoia trees.
One of the larger trees in the grove.
A normally placid stream that drains the Jennie Lakes Basin.
Same stream from the Big Meadows Rd.
View of the 11,000 ft Monarch Divide in western King Canyon from the road to Lookout Peak.
After a short hike up Lookout Peak, the view unfolded. This is a wide angle shot looking east. Kings Canyon proper is hiding in the dark shadows in the center of this shot.
View of Mt. Clarence King (12,905 ft) and its neighbors.
View westward toward the foothills.
Classic!
Sunset from Lookout Peak looking toward the Monarch Divide.
Another classic, courtesy of Lookout Peak.
View east again. Check out the shadow of Lookout Peak cast upon the distant mountains.
One last look at the nearly 13,000 ft peaks surrounding Gardiner Basin.