Sequoia National Park offers dramatic views from nearly any angle — PHOTOS
The General Sherman Tree is shown, center, in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
The detail of a burnt tree is shown in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
One of the Congress groups of trees is shown in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Clouds part to reveal the sky in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors explore the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
A stag runs through the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors walk around the General Sherman Tree in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
A man poses for a photo by the General Sherman Tree in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors explore the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Traffic travels along California state Route 198 in Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Moss grows on a tree in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors walk along a trail in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors climb Moro Rock at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
A view of Crescent Meadow is shown at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors walk through trees in the Giant Forest at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors climb Moro Rock at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors take photos at a stop along California state Route 198 in Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Trees are reflected in water at Crescent Meadow in Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors climb Moro Rock at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Moro Rock, lower left, is seen from California state Route 198 in Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors approach the General Sherman Tree in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors climb Moro Rock at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors explore the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors take in the views from a trail in the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors explore the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors walk along a trail in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Deteriorating logs are shown in Crescent Meadow at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors explore the Tunnel Log at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors climb Moro Rock at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
A detail of the trunk of the General Sherman Tree in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors walk along a trail in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
A man takes a photo along a trail in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors walk on a trail in the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
A large tree partially blocks a trail in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors walk along a trail in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors take in the views from a trail in the Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors explore the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors take in the sights from the top of Moro Rock at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors walk along a trail in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors take in the sights from the top of Moro Rock at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors take in the views from Moro Rock at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
The roots of a fallen tree are shown in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors approach the carved-out opening of a tree in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors explore the Tunnel Log at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
People look up at the General Sherman Tree in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
A car approaches the Tunnel Log at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors climb Moro Rock at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Moss grows on a tree in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors take photos of the General Sherman Tree in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Trees are seen from Moro Rock at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Fog descends as a vehicle approaches the Moro Rock area at Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors take photos near the General Sherman Tree in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
A view of Sequoia National Park, Calif. is shown from California state Route 198 on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors walk along a trail in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Trees lining a mountaintop are shown partially shrouded by clouds in Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
A man takes a photo of one of the Congress tree groups in the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors explore the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
A woman sits with her dogs by a trailhead leading to the General Sherman Tree in Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Visitors explore the Giant Forest area of Sequoia National Park, Calif. on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015. Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal Follow @csstevensphoto
Nestled in the southern Sierra Nevada in California is Sequoia National Park, a 400-mile-or-so drive from Las Vegas, or about an hour-and-a-half drive from Fresno, Calif.
I was in California for a UNLV football game against Fresno State and decided to spend the following day up at Sequoia to explore some of the notable attractions. One of the main things to see at the park is the General Sherman Tree, the largest tree in the world by volume at 52,500 cubic feet and with a height of 274.9 feet. The sequoia tree is also estimated to be more than 2,000 years old.
General Sherman stands within the Giant Forest, which is full of trails that take visitors by the massive trees, including giant sequoia groves like the Congress groups (the House and the Senate), among others.
Another favorite area is Moro Rock, where steep steps (fortunately with railing) lead up to a view of the valley below — though on the particular day I went it was mostly covered by the clouds, making for a bit of a surreal experience.
The better-known Yosemite National Park lies to the not-so-distant north, but a trip to the fairly less crowded and equally awe-inspiring Sequoia National Park is more than worth it.
