A Weekend with Massive Wood
Photos and words by Mario Estrada
From kings canyon to yosemite—The National Parks of California are a sight to be seen. With the world’s largest redwoods, the hiking and trails are beyond comparison. The parks also include some of the most breathtaking vistas, waterfalls and river valleys to put you in a very serene state.
A few years back I was told that when life got too intense, it was important to “ground yourself.” This idea of taking a moment to realize the scale of the world and reunite with the world’s natural energy. This sounded a bit like hippie-shit to me but the first time you allow yourself to be overwhelmed by nature, you see how inspiring it can be. So if you live in the area or are planning to visit, here are the the essentials to make the most out of 36 hours. Its a bit ambitious, but absolutely amazing.
Day 1: Start IN kings canyon. You’ll get a map as you drive in but feel free to visit the ranger in the Visitor Center for more details. There is a beautiful view point about a 3 minute drive and 10 minute hike from there. Then, go for a drive to General Sherman Tree. The drive is about 1.5 hours through the insane forest with a ton of opportunities to stop, including the Falls at Dorst Creek, which is a good place to hang out and have a beer. Continue your drive to the General Sherman trail parking lot where a short mile hike takes you to the most massive wood you’ve ever seen. Finally head over to Moro rock where a 400 stair trail takes you to the highest point in the park with 360 degree views. If you time it right, you’ll hit sunset just in time to break out the mini bottles of champagne that you picked up at the general mart. You can camp in the park, but we headed to Oakhurst to stay for the night which is the closest town to Yosemite Valley. Day 2: yosemite valley. The drive into the Valley offers a number of turnouts with that’s-not-fucking-real views. The highlight along this path is the tunnel view which gives you the famous Yosemite moment with Half Dome in the center. Continue into the Valley and pick an easy hike to take it all in. I recommend Mirror Lake or Glacier Point. Finish off the day with a cocktail at the Ahwahnee Hotel. If you have the time (and money), this is where you’ll want to stay. If not, enjoy the curvy drive back to the city.
