The 12 Best California Attractions

By Betsy Malloy, About.com Guide

The world's largest tree (that's it on the left) is 275 feet tall and 36.5 feet across - 83.8 by 11.1 meters, impressive numbers for sure, but they don't convey the awe-inspiring experience of standing at the foot of the General Sherman Tree, craning your neck to see the top, looking at branches thicker than you are tall. Nearby and only slightly smaller are 8 of the 20 biggest trees on earth, some if them as much as 3,500 years old.

You've gotta admire a tree with the tenacity to grow up to be the world's largest (as measured by its volume) and this little strip of mountain terrain is the only place in the world where Sequoiadendron giganteum can grow at all, much less to such monumental proportions. The national park General Sherman stands in also encompasses the Kings River Canyon, a place John Muir called "a rival of Yosemite," yet by comparison it's nearly free from the endless parade of camera-toting humanity that plagues that park.

More About the General Sherman Tree

If you need more information, check the Complete Guide to Sequoia and Kings Canyon. It will tell you about hours, how to get there and the best time to go.

Take a photo tour of Sequoia and Kings Canyon to see the General Sherman and the place it grow in.

Don't Take Our Word For It

See how the General Sherman tree stacks up against other top attractions in this reader poll.