Visiting the General Sherman Tree: the world's largest

The biggest tree in the world

The General Sherman Tree is the most giant Giant Sequoia in the world. The largest tree by volume, it is 275 feet tall and 36.5 feet across at the base. The tree is believed to be 2,200 years old and weigh 1,385 tons. But those are numbers -- numbers that a brain familiarized with normal trees cannot process. In reality, the only way to appreciate the unfathomable, seemingly unearthly size of the Giant Sequoias is the see one for yourself.

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• Congress Loop
• Giant Forest Museum
• Moro Rock
• Tokopah Falls

Named after Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman, the star of the Giant Forest can be reached a few different ways. For the handicapped, there is parking adjacent to the tree just off the Generals Highway. For others, there are several trails to chose from, including the General Sherman Trail. This paved trail is half a mile each way and descends some 200 feet (which is less than the height of the Sherman Tree). The trail is wide with a few staircases. There are benches and informative panels throughout.  Did you know the Sherman Tree has a volume of 52,500 cubic feet?

Halfway down, the trail crosses a brick “footprint” matching the base of the General Sherman. The footprint, like the tree has a circumference of 103 feet and offers a distinct visual of the enormity of Sherman.

Click here to see the footprint and more views of the General Sherman Tree

If for some reason you can’t make it up to see General Sherman this year, worry not. It will be even bigger next year. The General Sherman is still growing, adding about 0.4 inches in diameter each year. According to the park brochure, this is enough to equal the mass of a typical sixty foot tree.

For an easy opportunity to see more Giant Sequoias, continue on the Congress Loop, which starts at the Sherman Tree.

To get to the trailhead: From the Giant Forest Museum, head north on the Generals Highway. One mile past the handicapped parking area across from the General Sherman Tree, turn right (east) on Wolverton Road. Make the next right toward the Sherman Tree Trail. The road ends at the parking lot. 

View Hiking the Sierra Nevadas in a larger map

	You might also enjoy:
	Crescent Meadow Loop in Sequoia National Park Several trails explore the Great Forest, but this 1.6 mile loop visits Sequoias, meadows, the Chimney Tree. and Tharp's Log. This hike is great for kids, and great for anyone.
	Trail of 100 Giants in Giant Sequoia National Monument This easy one-mile loop visits a grove of Giant Sequoias that are the prize of Giant Sequoia National Monument.
	Hikes in the Sierra Nevada Mountains This list explores the great Sequoias, peaks, waterfalls, lakes, and streams of the Sierra Nevadas.