Our national parks have developed a reputation for several appealing features. Incredible monuments, gorgeous scenery, and intriguing wildlife are but a few of the many attractions of our parks. The unspoiled majesty of our national parks is a living treasure and it could be difficult to choose one or two to visit at any given time. Why not start with two of the more popular sites; The General Grant Tree and Kings Canyon. The General Grant Tree towers over 260 feet above the Grant Grove, the largest remaining natural Sequoia grove in the world. The circumference of its trunk at its widest is over 90 feet alone. The true size is difficult to imagine but, to put it in perspective, the General Grant Tree is a little shorter than the Statue of Liberty standing on her pedestal and the trunk is bigger than the Oval Office at the White House. This two thousand year old Sequoia tree also has the designation of being the third largest Sequoia in the world, the second largest of all our national parks (the largest found also found in the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park but not nearly as picturesque), and our nation's Christmas Tree. The General Grant Tree can be found at the north entrance of the park along Route 180 leading to Grant's Grove Village. Despite the impressive size of the General Grant Tree, the true centerpiece of the Kings Canyon National Parks is Kings Canyon. Kings Canyon has the distinction of being the deepest canyon in North America. At 8000 feet from its highest point to the Kings River cutting through its middle, it is deeper than even the Grand Canyon though it lacks the sheer width that makes the Grand Canyon more impressive. The only way to fully enjoy most of the attractions at the Kings Canyon National Park is by hiking. It is the only mode of transportation that is allowed. Cars will never get in your way, so plan on thoroughly enjoying the exquisite Zumwalt Meadow and Cedars Grove, two of the most appealing attractions found in the park. Other notable places to visit in the Kings Canyon National Park include the Roaring River Falls, a section of the Kings River that tumbles down the rocky side of the Kings Canyon. Big Stump Basin is another location to visit, where remnants of fallen giant Sequoia trees lay dead from timber operations from the early 1900's as a reminder of mankind's lasting effects on our environment. All of our national parks teach us valuable lessons. Both the Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks show us how mighty our forests can be - when humans do not negatively affect them. It would be a shame to lose these magnificent trees and have our future genteration only read about them in books. Protecting the environment is a must for all of us today, so that we may sustain nature and beauty for as long as we can.
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