So, what’s the challenge? A tree is a tree! Not when they are giant Sequoias! This was my first time at Calaveras Big Trees State Park , and I enjoyed it. It wasn’t quite as amazing as Sequoia National Park, but it had the same enormous trees.

Sequoias are redwoods, big in girth and not as tall as the coastal redwoods. Jean and I took the short, supposedly 1 1/2 mile walk around the North Grove. I walk my dog 2 miles about 6 mornings a week, but this walk took twice as long! There was so much to take pictures of. We started at the Discovery Stump and continued past the Three Graces, the Mother and Son, The Abraham Lincoln Tree, and the Old Bachelor. Some of the other visitors were picture worthy too!

Back to the challenge of taking these shots, you can’t get the entire tree in the image, especially with a crop sensor camera. I did try though! Here, take a look.

  • Discovery Stump.
  • A little
    Autumn color.
  • The path.
  • A piece of a downed log.
  • Jean provides perspective.
  • I asked permission before I shot this one.
  • This person put his camera on the dirt when he took this picture.
  • The light was hitting the forest perfectly.
  • Roots of a downed tree.
  • The tree on the left was named “The Twins.”
  • Continuing along the path.
  • Looking up!
  • This downed tree took about 1 block.
  • Last look.

7 thoughts on “The challenge of big trees: Calaveras Big Trees State Park, Big Trees, CA”

  2. I remember when I went to California and visited Muir Woods and Sequoia NP I though exactly the same!! The trees are immense and gorgeous but… how to photograph them if they are soooo tall and sooo big??? Even with a wide lens is difficult because of the distortion…
    I think you managed quite well with these compositions!! I watch the photos and I can feel the grandiosity of these trees!! Nice job, Anne!!!

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      1. I have to agree with you!! Even if I haven’t visited many National Parks in the US, these two are stunning places!! They were definitely two of the highlights of my trip in California and probably one of the reasons I want to visit again! 🙂 I love those places where the landscape is so magnificent that makes you feel tiny and ephemeral, and that’s exactly what you feel in front of these great sequoias! I don’t know when I will be able to see them again, but I hope I can figure out a way to capture them in my camera by then, hehehe

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