Re-energised we all climbed aboard our minivan to head to Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias. En route we passed one of the many stunning waterfalls in Yosemite National Park.
Yosemite’s Tuolumne Grove trail, is a 2.5-mile round-trip hike from the Tioga Road to a grove containing around two dozen mature sequoias. If you’re a dessert-first kind of person, the Tuolumne Grove trail was made for you: the entire trip to the grove is downhill. And you all know I’m that type of girl! The trail drops 500 feet (150 meters) in one mile. Of course we did have to come back up the trail to return to our bus.
Giant sequoias are considered one of the oldest, largest, and fastest growing trees in the world. Armed with a remarkable resistance to disease, sequoias can live for over 3,000 years, grow to 300 feet tall, and measure 30 feet around.
Eventually, these noble giants fall over from their own massive weight. Fire scars burned into old trees are a testament to their fire resistance and longevity. To get a sense of a sequoia’s age, count the concentric rings in its stump, as depicted in the attached photo.
The Tunnel Tree in Tuolumne Grove, is a natural wonder that has been attracting visitors for over a century. The tree is a giant sequoia that was first hollowed out in the late 19th century to create a tunnel through its base, allowing visitors to walk through and experience the awe-inspiring beauty of the tree up close and it really is magnificent. Also on the trail was the largest fallen sequoia that was hollow on the inside and you can see Issy appearing from the inside after walking through the tree!
All aboard again to head to Mammoth Lake town via the Donnell Dam. The stop here provided amazing views of the dam and the river.
History of the area – without the Sierra Nevada, California would be a desert. The mountains are nature’s reservoir, holding water in the form of snow. As the snow melts in spring and early summer, the water rushes down rivers, such as the Middle Fork Stanislaus River. Man-made reservoirs like Donnell, store water for use during the dry summer and fall months. In 1957, Oakdale and South San Joaquin Irrigation Districts used the natural terrain to build Donnell Dam. This reservoir provides power and water for many uses.
Then on our way again but as one of the roads that was going to take us directly to Mammoth Lakes was closed, we had to go around the mountain range, increasing our travel time by 3 hours. However, on the plus side we did get to see and stand in the snow and experience great scenery.
We all arrived very tired and sleepy after such a long drive and luckily our home for the night was the lovely Mammouth Mountain Inn as pictured below. It was so rustic and charming and it was a delight to be able to sit and have a meal in this lovely old mountain building along with Issy, Angela and Ola, my new friends on the hike.
