T-Travel Photography
Zdenko Takac & Iveta Takacova
Landscape, Travel & Fine Art Photography
Mt St Helens & Willamette NP
Mariposa Grove
The Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias is near the South Entrance of the park. If you get there early in the morning (7am), there is plenty of parking available. If you come a couple of hours later, you have to take the shuttle as there are no parking spaces left.
Some giant sequoias in the park reach a staggering 88m with the Grizzly Giant being one of the largest and oldest trees (about 1,800 years old). At the beginning of the trail you will see the Fallen Monarch. The roots of these sequoias are often only two metres deep but can fan out more than 45 metres.
The trail itself is very easy. About 45m beyond the Giant Grizzly is the California Tunnel Tree which was cut in 1895 to allow horse-drawn carriages to pass through.
Walking through the forest is truly a blessing. You feel the energy radiating from the giants surrounding you and all you can hear is woodpeckers and the breeze playing with branches on trees.