After a couple of false starts (including getting the Honda stuck in 14” of snow on the road to Fresno Dome and venturing down a “trail” that turned out to be, well, NOT a trail) we ended up hiking what we both agreed is one of our favorite spots in this area so far.
The looks of disbelief we got from the people in four-wheel drive trucks and the two four-wheelers should have tipped us off about what was to come on our Sunday afternoon drive.
Nelder Grove is lesser known than other groves in the Sierra National Forest, which made the afternoon a stark contrast to our hike at Mariposa Grove. In several hours of wandering through different trails in the forest we encountered just two other sets of outdoor enthusiasts, an elderly couple unloading mountain bikes and an older family at the Bull Buck Tree. The road to the trail might have something to do with it since the last few miles to the grove are unpaved and quite rough.
In an effort to get as close to Yosemite National Park as possible, we are staying at a wonderful 55+ RV resort for a two months. No, we didn’t use fake ID’s to get in (and no, we don’t qualify!). Since we’re just passing through there is no age restriction, only a maximum length of stay restriction to keep people like us from growing roots.
We spent the day hiking around roughly 500 mature giant sequoias in Mariposa Grove near the south entrance of Yosemite National Park. The oldest tree in the grove, the Grizzly Giant, is estimated to be 1,800 years old and the tallest is about 290 feet. It was humbling to walk among these beautiful giants. What was happening in the world when they were seedlings? How long after we’re gone will they stand tall and steady?
