Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park

Sparkling alpine lakes, the highest point in the continental U.S., and 800-plus miles of breathtaking hiking trails: Sequoia and Kings Canyon in the Sierra Nevada are far more than home to the biggest trees on the planet.

Now is the time to wander among the world’s largest trees. Wildfires in central California for the past few years have decimated their numbers, so seeing these thousand-year-old natural wonders up close is, today more than ever, a privilege.

Officials at California’s Redwood National Park say visitors have caused damage to the tree and its surroundings

When John Muir sauntered through the condensed grove of what is now known as Sequoia National Park, he would have never envisioned the devastation that has occurred since 2011.

For Wendy Baxter, being a field researcher of giant Sequoia trees is the ultimate balance between athletic ability and scientific exploration.

In the foothills of the southern Sierra Nevada lies a huge stash of obscure singletrack. David Page learns some humility (and the value of a modern bike) on a ride with the trails' developers.