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General Sherman Tree, Three Rivers, CA

Photo: Kimon Berlin, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingIconicOutdoor AdventureFamily Favorite

General Sherman Tree

Giant Forest, off Wolverton Rd from Generals Hwy, Sequoia National Park · Three Rivers, CA

Why you should go…

The General Sherman Tree is a giant sequoia in the Giant Forest grove of Sequoia National Park. It stands 274.9 feet tall, measures 102.6 feet around at the base, and holds an estimated 52,500 cubic feet of wood. You reach it on a paved half-mile trail with a few stairs from the lot off Wolverton Road, or on a short wheelchair-accessible path from Generals Highway. A fence around the trunk protects its shallow roots.

  • #giant sequoia
  • #national park
  • #largest tree
  • #short hike

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to General Sherman Tree, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Sequoia National Park

    $25–$50

    Walk among giant sequoias, stand at the base of the General Sherman Tree and climb the stairway up Moro Rock.

    1.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Kings Canyon National Park

    $25–$50

    See giant sequoias at Grant Grove, then drive Highway 180 down into a glacier-carved canyon more than a mile deep.

    15 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Mount Whitney

    Under $25

    Hike 22 miles round trip from Whitney Portal to the highest summit in the contiguous United States, with a permit.

    25 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Manzanar National Historic Site

    Free

    Tour the site of a World War II camp where more than 11,000 Japanese Americans were incarcerated.

    35 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Alabama Hills

    Free

    Walk among rounded granite boulders and natural arches below Mount Whitney, on land where Westerns have been filmed since 1920.

    35 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Sightseeing
    Outdoor Adventure

    Bishop

    Free

    Eastern Sierra gateway town near Mammoth Lakes with access to hiking, fishing and Bishop Creek Canyon.

    58 mi awayMore like this