Big trees

Ever since I heard they existed, I've wanted to see Giant Sequoias. So when I was in Reno, Nevada, I knew it would be worth the three hour drive to see them. The road to get there was a bit of a trek. It was about a two hour drive off the highway, mostly consisting of a small, winding mountain road. The views were incredible.

Coming from someone who had never seen trees like this before, you really can't prepare yourself for how big they are. It's pretty amazing. Even when you're there, it's hard to comprehend the unbelievable size.

Out of the visitors in the park, you could tell who were locals and who were not. Locals walked the two mile loop while quickly glancing up, barely stopping, and then moving on, some were even nonchalantly jogging, and then there were those of us who spent nearly half an hour at each stop, staring like we'd never seen a tree before. There was a group from Chicago that was close behind us for most of the walk and you could hear them coming closer as their "ooohs, awes and wows!" got louder behind us. We spoke to them briefly as they passed and we were all in complete amazement.
If you ever get a chance to see Giant Sequoias, even if it's a long drive out of your way, take it. It will be well worth it.

Giant Sequoia facts:

• Giant Sequoias can grow to be about 30 feet in diameter and more than 250 feet tall. 

• The biggest is General Sherman, a giant sequoia in Sequoia National Park. General Sherman stands 275 feet tall, has a 102-foot circumference, and weighs an incredible 2.7 million pounds.

• Giant Sequoias can live to 3,000 years, with the oldest on record living more than 3,500 years.

Courtesy of livescience.com