List of giant sequoia groves
The following is a list of giant sequoia groves. All naturally occurring groves of giant sequoias are located in moist, unglaciated ridges and valleys of the west slope of the Sierra Nevada range in California, United States. They occur between 1370 – 2000 meters (4500–6500 ft) elevation in the northern half of the range, and 1700–2250 m (5500–7500 ft) in the south.
Groves in the northern half of the range (north of the Kings River) are widely scattered and mostly small, while those south of the Kings River are more numerous. The total area of all the groves combined is approximately 14,416 ha (35,607 acres). The groves are listed from north to south in the list below.
This list is based on five different sources, with slightly varying views on what constitutes a discrete grove; the differing interpretations are noted in italics. The lists of groves were compiled by Rundel (1972; recognizing 75 groves), Flint (1987; recognizing 65 groves), Willard (1994; recognizing 65 groves), the Giant Sequoia National Monument Visitor's Guide (2003) and the Draft Giant Sequoia National Monument Plan 2010. Currently, the U.S. National Park Service cites Rundel's total of 75 groves in its visitor publications. The updated lists from Willard and Flint are now known to be more accurate, therefore some of Rundel's 75 groves have been removed from this list. Below compiles a list of 68 sequoia groves.[1]
North of the Kings River
Listed North to South
Kings River watershed
The 16 groves in the Kings River watershed are in Kings Canyon National Park, the northern section of Giant Sequoia National Monument, or Sequoia National Forest, in southernmost Fresno County and Tulare County (listed alphabetically):
- Note: GSNM = Giant Sequoia National Monument, KCNP = Kings Canyon National Park, and SNF = Sequoia National Forest
Name | Location | Coordinates | Elevation | Comments | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
(m) | (ft) | ||||
Abbott Creek Grove | SNF & GSNM | 36°46′N 118°58′W / 36.767°N 118.967°W | 1,900 | 6,200 | Listed by Rundel and Flint; very small (largely logged); too few trees to qualify as a grove according to Willard |
Agnew Grove | SNF & GSNM | 36°47′20″N 118°46′45″W / 36.78889°N 118.77917°W | 1,950–2,000 | 6,400–6,560 | |
Bearskin Grove | SNF & GSNM | 36°45′0″N 118°54′40″W / 36.75000°N 118.91111°W | 1,850–1,900 | 6,070–6,230 | |
Big Stump Grove | KCNP, SNF & GSNM | 36°43′N 118°58′W / 36.717°N 118.967°W | 1,850 | 6,070 | Includes the Burnt Monarch, the remains of which are larger than any living tree. |
Boulder Creek Grove | SNF & GSNM | 36°45′N 118°49′W / 36.750°N 118.817°W | 2,050 | 6,730 | Part of Evans Grove complex |
Cherry Gap Grove | SNF & GSNM | 36°46′40″N 118°57′30″W / 36.77778°N 118.95833°W | 2,070 | 6,790 | Logged. Located between Converse Basin Grove and General Grant Grove, near McGee Overlook |
Converse Basin Grove | SNF & GSNM | 36°48′N 118°58′W / 36.800°N 118.967°W | 1,800–2,000 | 5,900–6,600 | Once the second-largest grove, but much logged around 1890-1900. However, nearly 100 widely scattered old-growth Giant Sequoias remain (apparently bypassed by the loggers), also good regrowth of younger trees. Home of the Boole Tree which the loggers spared, as it was by far the largest tree in the grove, and now identified as the sixth-largest tree by volume. Also home of the Chicago Stump, the remnant of the General Noble Tree which was cut for the 1893 World Columbian Exposition. The General Noble Tree was the second largest tree in the grove (after the Boole Tree) and it was the largest tree ever cut down. Although not among the very largest Giant Sequoias, the General Noble Tree was perhaps among the top 30 largest Giant Sequoias before it was cut. |
Deer Meadow Grove | SNF & GSNM | 36°47′20″N 118°46′45″W / 36.78889°N 118.77917°W | 1,950–2,000 | 6,400–6,560 | |
Evans Grove | SNF & GSNM | 36°48′0″N 118°49′30″W / 36.80000°N 118.82500°W | 2,050–2,250 | 6,730–7,380 | Heavily logged before 1920. Part of Evans Grove complex, which consists of Evans, Boulder, Little Boulder, Lockwood, Kennedy, and Horseshoe Bend Groves. |
General Grant Grove | KCNP, SNF & GSNM | 36°45′N 118°58′W / 36.750°N 118.967°W | 1,750–2,000 | 5,740–6,560 | Includes 'General Grant' |
Indian Basin Grove | SNF & GSNM | 36°48′N 118°56′W / 36.800°N 118.933°W | 1,800–2,000 | 5,900–6,600 | A mid-size grove, mostly logged. It can be accessed by paved roads. The grove contains many young sequoias approaching diameters of up to 10 feet. |
Kennedy Grove | KCNP, SNF & GSNM | 36°46′0″N 118°49′20″W / 36.76667°N 118.82222°W | 2,050–2,250 | 6,730–7,380 | Contains the 13th-largest giant sequoia in the world, The Ishi Giant. Part of Evans Grove complex. |
Landslide Grove | SNF & GSNM | 36°45′0″N 118°51′50″W / 36.75000°N 118.86389°W | 2,050–2,250 | 6,730–7,380 | |
Little Boulder Creek Grove | SNF & GSNM | 36°45′10″N 118°49′0″W / 36.75278°N 118.81667°W | 2,000 | 6,600 | Part of Evans Grove complex |
Lockwood Grove | SNF & GSNM | 36°48′N 118°52′W / 36.800°N 118.867°W | 1,700–1,800 | 5,600–5,900 | Part of the Evans Complex |
Monarch Grove | SNF & GSNM | 36°47′30″N 118°46′45″W / 36.79167°N 118.77917°W | 1,600–1,900 | 5,200–6,200 | Immediately north of the Agnew Grove, near Monarch Wilderness boundary. On Forest Service GSNM map. |
Sequoia Creek Grove | KCNP | 36°43′50″N 118°58′20″W / 36.73056°N 118.97222°W | 1,850 | 6,070 |
Kaweah River watershed
The 23 groves in the Kaweah River watershed are all in Sequoia National Park or in private ownership, except the northernmost in Sequoia National Forest & Kings Canyon National Park (listed North to South):
Tule River and Kern River watersheds
The 21 groves in the Tule River and Kern River watersheds are mostly in Giant Sequoia National Monument, with some areas in Sequoia National Park, Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest-California State Forest and Tule Indian Reservation; all in southern Tulare County. (listed alphabetically)
See also
References
- ↑ Willard, Dwight. The Natural Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron Giganteum) Groves of the Sierra Nevada, California—An Updated Annotated List (PDF). USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep. USFS. pp. 159–164. PSW-GTR-151. Retrieved 2014-05-14.
- ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-10-23. Retrieved 2014-10-20.
- Flint, W.D. (2002). To find the biggest tree.
- Rundel, P.W. (1972). "An annotated checklist of the groves of Sequoiadendron giganteum in the Sierra Nevada, California". Madroño. 21: 319–328.
- Giant Sequoia National Monument Visitor's Guide. 2003.
- "A Citizen's Guide". Giant Sequoia National Monument. Sierra Club.
- "Park and draft plan information". Giant Sequoia National Monument. Save the Redwoods League.
- "Draft Giant Sequoia National Monument Plan". USFS. 2010.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sequoiadendron giganteum (named groves). |
- NPS: Visitor Guide to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Giant Sequoia National Monument, & Sequoia National Forest
- Giant Sequoia National Monument: Location map of Groves — with list of all named groves in national monument.