Mariposa Grove | |
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Map | |
Mariposa Grove is located at the southern entrance to Yosemite National Park | |
Geography | |
Location | Yosemite National Park, California,United States |
Coordinates | 37°30′50″N119°35′54″W / 37.51389°N 119.59833°W |
Elevation | 5,740–6,730 ft (1,750–2,050 m) |
Ecology | |
Dominant tree species | Sequoiadendron giganteum |
Mariposa Grove is a sequoia grove located near Wawona, California, United States, in the southernmost part of Yosemite National Park. It is the largest grove of giant sequoias in the park, with several hundred mature specimens. Two of its trees are among the 30 largest giant sequoias in the world. The grove attracts about one million visitors annually. [1]
The Mariposa Grove was first visited by non-native people in 1857 when Galen Clark and Milton Mann found it. They named the grove after Mariposa County, California, where the grove is located. [2] Abraham Lincoln signed an Act of Congress on June 30, 1864, ceding Mariposa Grove and Yosemite Valley to the state of California. Criticism of stewardship over the land led to the state's returning the grove to federal control with the establishment of Yosemite National Park.
The grove closed on July 6, 2015, for a restoration project and reopened on June 15, 2018. [3] The Mariposa Grove Museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Mariposa Grove's evolution from a remote natural area to a well-integrated conservation model highlights the ongoing efforts to balance public access with ecological preservation.
In 1856, after hearing from a hunter about three massive trees similar to those recently discovered at Calaveras Grove, Galen Clark, a resident of Wawona in Yosemite, embarked on a year-long search. In 1857, he discovered not only the three trees but a total of 427 mature giant sequoias in what he would later name Mariposa Grove. [4] [5] Clark built the first permanent structure in the grove, a cabin from which he guided tourists. The site now houses the Mariposa Grove Museum. [6]
In 1881, the Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Company carved a tunnel through the Wawona Tree in Mariposa Grove, large enough to accommodate stagecoaches. [8] [9] The tunnel, measuring 7 ft (2.1 m) wide, 9 ft (2.7 m) high, and 26 ft (7.9 m) long, transformed the tree into a significant tourist attraction and a symbol of the grove's colossal sequoias. [10] Such tunnel trees became hallmark attractions of Mariposa Grove. A second tunnel tree, the California Tunnel Tree, was cut in 1895. It remains the only living tunnel tree in Mariposa Grove. [11]
The introduction of automobiles significantly changed tourism at Yosemite National Park. The lift of the car ban in 1913 and the construction of Highway 41 in 1933 made the park more accessible. [12] : 15 This increased accessibility coincided with a rise in visitor numbers.
In response to the growing number of motorists visiting the park, the Yosemite National Park Company established Camp in the Big Trees in 1919. The camp provided direct access to the giant trees, eliminating the need for the previously required 18-mile round trip from the Wawona Hotel. The camp featured cabins where visitors could stay overnight, right among the giant sequoias. [13] [14] [15]
Built in 1932 to replace cabins that had collapsed under heavy snowfall, the Big Trees Lodge featured 12 guest rooms—four with private baths—along with a lounge, office, gift shop, dining room, kitchen, and a photo darkroom.. [16] Originally intended for year-round use, the lodge operated from June to September due to heavy snowfall. It closed as a guest lodge in 1972, later served as a dormitory, and was eventually removed due to environmental concerns. [17]
In 1969, Yosemite officials introduced trams to reduce traffic congestion around the giant sequoias, banning private vehicles in the upper grove. Each tram carried 50 passengers, offering a more sustainable way to access the trees and protect the environment. [18] The tour, which provided visitors with headphone-guided experiences among the giant sequoias, ran until 2014 when it was discontinued as part of the restoration effort that removed the asphalt roads from the grove. [19]
On June 30, 2014, to mark the 150th anniversary of the Yosemite Grant Act, Mariposa Grove closed for a four-year restoration project, the largest in the park's history. [20] [21] The project focused on protecting tree root systems and restoring natural water flows which had been impeded by paved roads throughout the grove. Key improvements included restoring sequoia and wetland habitats, realigning roads and trails, building a new welcome plaza, adding shuttle services, and removing commercial operations like gift shops and tram tours. When the grove reopened on June 15, 2018, a major change was the removal of private car access. [22] Visitors now begin their journey at a welcome plaza near the park’s south entrance, taking a free shuttle on a two-mile ride to the restored grove. [23]
Giant sequoias rely on fire for reproduction but can be destroyed by intense wildfires when suppression allows ladder fuels to accumulate. This reduces soil moisture and increases heat generated by wildfires, which can overwhelm the trees' natural resistance. In recent times, controlled burns have been key to Mariposa Grove's ecological health, restoring the natural fire cycle disrupted by fire suppression after Anglo-American settlement. [24] Natural fires historically occurred every one to fifteen years, and controlled burns were reintroduced in 1968 to preserve the grove. [25]
Controlled burns have been crucial. During the 2022 Washburn Fire, they helped firefighters protect ancient sequoias, demonstrating their effectiveness in forest conservation. [26] [27] [28]
Climate change is placing immense pressure on Mariposa Grove, threatening the survival of its iconic trees. From the 1930s to 1990s, large-diameter trees declined by 24% in Yosemite National Park due to water stress. [29] [30] This issue worsened after the 2012–2017 drought, with several sequoias dying from drought and beetle infestations. Experts predict more losses as severe droughts increase.
In 2022, an alarming sign of distress emerged in Mariposa Grove when sequoias released a massive, unprecedented crop of seeds—an event typically triggered by fire. This release was ultimately futile, as sequoia seeds can only take root in soil that has been fully exposed by fire. [31]
Signs of climate stress in Mariposa Grove are overshadowed by the rising number of climate-induced sequoia deaths in National Park Service-managed groves further south in the Sierra Nevada. [32]
Many trees in Mariposa Grove are named after 19th-century American figures, like conservationist Galen Clark, or for their unique characteristics, such as the Telescope and Clothespin Trees. Though the grove has never been logged, several named trees, including the Wawona Tunnel Tree and the Massachusetts Tree, have fallen due to human activity. Visitors can explore the trees via a network of trails, offering routes that range from easy to strenuous, with some accessible options.
Name | Description | Volume (cubic feet) | Height (feet) | Image |
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American Legion Tree | A plaque marks this sequoia, dedicated by the American Legion in 1921 to the unknown dead of World War I. Having endured severe fire and storm damage, the tree stands as a testament to resilience in the face of adversity. | 250 [33] | ||
Bachelor and Three Graces | A group of four giant sequoias, three growing very close together, with a fourth a little more distant. Their roots are intertwined, meaning if one falls, it likely brings the others with it. | 254 [33] | ||
California Tunnel Tree | Carved in 1895, the California Tunnel Tree is the sole surviving giant sequoia with a tunnel, following the collapses of the Wawona Tree in 1969 and the Pioneer Cabin Tree in 2017. Initially, the Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Company created the tunnel as an alternate route for tourists when snow obstructed access to the Wawona Tree. It functioned as a drive-thru attraction until 1932, when the National Park Service redirected the Mariposa Grove Road and converted the path through the tree into a footpath. [34] [33] | 232 [35] | ||
Clothespin Tree | Fire damage has shaped this tree's trunk like a clothespin. A 50 yards (46 m) walk to its base reveals a 70 feet (21 m) high, 16 feet (4.9 m) wide opening. Despite its lean, the tree may still stand for generations. [33] | 266 [33] | ||
Columbia Tree | The tallest tree in the grove and in Yosemite National Park at 286 feet (87 m). | 286 [33] | ||
Faithful Couple | A rare case where two trees grew so close together that their trunks have fused together at the base. | |||
Fallen Giant | One of the largest trees in the grove, until it fell in 1873. [33] | |||
Fallen Monarch | The exact date when the Fallen Monarch tree fell remains unknown. Though its bark and sapwood have decayed over centuries, its heartwood endures as a lasting monument. In the past, visitors would drive stagecoaches onto the massive trunk for photos. [33] | |||
Galen Clark Tree | Noted for its historical significance as the first giant sequoia encountered by Galen Clark upon entering the grove in 1857. In 2022, a sprinkler system was installed to protect the tree during the Washburn Fire. [36] | 240 [37] | ||
General Grant Tree | A large giant sequoia located west of the Mariposa Grove Cabin. Not to be confused with the General Grant Tree of Kings Canyon National Park. | 267 [33] | ||
General Sheridan Tree | The General Sheridan tree, also known as the William H. Seward Tree, is named in honor of United States Army Civil War General Philip H. Sheridan. This tree is located just south of the Mariposa Grove Cabin. [38] | 259 [33] | ||
Grizzly Giant | The oldest tree and second largest tree in the grove. The giant sequoia named Grizzly Giant is between probably 1900–2400 years old: the oldest tree in the grove. [39] It has a volume of 34,010 cubic feet (963 m3), and is counted as the 25th largest tree in the world. It is 210 feet (64 m) tall, and has a heavily buttressed base with a basal circumference of 28 m (92 ft) or a diameter of 30 feet (9.1 m); above the buttresses at 2.4 m above ground, the circumference is only 23 m. Grizzly Giant's first branch from the base is 2 m (6 ft) in diameter. | 34,010 cu ft (963 m3) | 209 [33] | |
Massachusetts Tree | Two-thirds of the tree’s base was burned in 1710, with fire funneling 51 feet (16 m) through the heartwood. In the 1870s, a road was built over its weakened roots. By spring 1927, snow, fire, erosion, and man’s impact brought it down. [37] | 280 [37] | ||
Stable Tree | The Stable Tree, an 1,800-year-old sequoia was named for its large hollow trunk that could shelter four horses during the stagecoach era. It fell on August 28, 1934, at 7:30 a.m. The tree collapsed due to weakened roots, a result of a centuries-old fire scar compounded by a recent windstorm. The fall happened in calm conditions and created a large crater, detected by a slight tremor and subsequent dust clouds at the nearby Big Trees Lodge. [40] | 269 [37] | ||
Telescope Tree | Repeated fires destroyed much of the crown and two-thirds of the heartwood, and from inside, looking up feels like peering through a telescope, with branches and sky visible. Despite losing 39 feet (12 m) feet of its 74 feet (23 m) foot circumference, enough bark and sapwood remain for the tree to survive. Ax marks from 1870s road builders show where they started to cut a tunnel, but a foreman wisely halted the effort, knowing the tree would collapse in the next storm if weakened further. [37] | 188 [37] | ||
Washington Tree | The largest tree in the grove. | 35,950 cu ft (1,018 m3) | ||
Wawona Tunnel Tree | Renamed the 'Fallen Tunnel Tree,' this sequoia was the first to have a tunnel carved through its trunk in 1881. Originally wide enough for horse-drawn carriages and early automobiles, the tunnel weakened the tree's base. It collapsed during a 1969 snowstorm, catalyzing a turning point in national parks' preservation efforts. | 234 [37] |
The Mariposa Grove Museum is a historic log cabin that opened to the public in 1931. [41] Positioned near the General Grant and General Sheridan trees, the cabin was constructed to replace an earlier structure known as the Galen Clark Cabin which had stood on the same site since the late 19th century. The original cabin, built by Galen Clark in 1858, served as a shelter for visitors and became renowned for its picturesque setting. [42] Due to deterioration, the original cabin was replaced by the current structure, which was designed to echo the rustic style of its predecessor while incorporating modern building techniques for longevity. [43] [44]
The museum housed within the cabin features historic photographs and exhibits detailing the history of the Mariposa Grove and its significance. [45] The Mariposa Grove Cabin was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. [46] [47]
Yosemite National Park is a national park of the United States in California. It is bordered on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The park is managed by the National Park Service and covers 759,620 acres in four counties – centered in Tuolumne and Mariposa, extending north and east to Mono and south to Madera. Designated a World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite is internationally recognized for its granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, groves of giant sequoia, lakes, mountains, meadows, glaciers, and biological diversity. Almost 95 percent of the park is designated wilderness. Yosemite is one of the largest and least fragmented habitat blocks in the Sierra Nevada.
Sequoiadendron giganteum, also known as the giant sequoia, giant redwood, Sierra redwood or Wellingtonia is a coniferous tree, classified in the family Cupressaceae in the subfamily Sequoioideae. Giant sequoia specimens are the most massive trees on Earth. They are native to the groves on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California but have been introduced, planted, and grown around the world.
Wawona is a census-designated place in Mariposa County, California, United States. The population was 111 at the 2020 census.
Calaveras Big Trees State Park is a state park of California, United States, preserving two groves of giant sequoia trees. Located 4 miles (6.4 km) northeast of Arnold, California in the middle elevations of the Sierra Nevada, it has been a major tourist attraction since 1852, when the existence of the trees was first widely reported. Two famous exhibition trees, the Discovery Tree and the Mother of the Forest, were felled for display. It is also considered the longest continuously operated tourist attraction in California.
Nelder Grove, located in the western Sierra Nevada within the Sierra National Forest in Madera County, California, is a Giant sequoia grove that was formerly known as Fresno Grove. The grove is a 1,540-acre (6.2 km2) tract containing 60 mature Giant Sequoia trees, the largest concentration of giant sequoias in the Sierra National Forest. The grove also contains several historical points of interest, including pioneer cabins, giant sequoia stumps left by 19th-century loggers, and the site where the Forest King exhibition tree was felled in 1870 for display.
Human habitation in the Sierra Nevada region of California reaches back 8,000 to 10,000 years ago. Historically attested Native American populations, such as the Sierra Miwok, Mono and Paiute, belong to the Uto-Aztecan and Utian phyla. In the mid-19th century, a band of Native Americans called the Ahwahnechee lived in Yosemite Valley. The California Gold Rush greatly increased the number of non-indigenous people in the region. Tensions between Native Americans and white settlers escalated into the Mariposa War. As part of this conflict, settler James Savage led the Mariposa Battalion into Yosemite Valley in 1851, in pursuit of Ahwaneechees led by Chief Tenaya. The California state military forces burned the tribe's villages, destroyed their food stores, killed the chief's sons, and forced the tribe out of Yosemite. Accounts from the Mariposa Battalion, especially from Dr. Lafayette Bunnell, popularized Yosemite Valley as a scenic wonder.
Galen Clark was a British North America-born American conservationist and writer. He is known as the first European American to discover the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoia trees, and is notable for his role in gaining legislation to protect it and the Yosemite area, and for 24 years serving as Guardian of Yosemite National Park.
The Wawona Hotel is a historic hotel located within southern Yosemite National Park, in California. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1987, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Chandelier Tree in Drive-Thru Tree Park is a 276-foot (84 m) tall coast redwood tree in Leggett, California with a 6-foot-wide (1.8 m) by 6-foot-9-inch-high (2.06 m) hole cut through its base to allow a car to drive through. Its base measures 16 ft (4.9 m) diameter at breast height (chest-high). A historic sign put up in or before the 1930s claims a height of 315 feet high and 21 feet wide, but a contemporary measurement by a Certified Arborist experienced with tall redwoods and using a laser rangefinder found the tree to be 276 feet high and 16 feet in diameter. It is unknown if the tree was topped by Nature in between the measurements.
The Wawona Tree, also known as the Wawona Tunnel Tree, was a famous giant sequoia that stood in Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park, California, United States, until February 1969. It had a height of 227 feet (69 m) and was 26 feet (7.9 m) in diameter at the base.
The Grizzly Giant is a giant sequoia in Yosemite National Park's Mariposa Grove. It has been measured many times; in 1990 Wendell Flint calculated its volume at 34,005 cubic feet (962.9 m3), making it the 26th-largest living giant sequoia.
Merced Grove is a giant sequoia grove located about 3.6 km (2.2 mi) west of Crane Flat in the Merced River watershed of Yosemite National Park, California. The grove occupies a small valley at an elevation of 5,469 feet (1,667 m) and is accessible by a 2.5 km (1.6 mi) dirt trail.
The Pioneer Cabin Tree, also known as The Tunnel Tree, was a giant sequoia in Calaveras Big Trees State Park, California. It was considered one of the U.S.'s most famous trees, and drew thousands of visitors annually. It was estimated to have been more than 1,000 years old, and measured 33 feet (10 m) in diameter; its exact age and height were not known. The tree was topped before 1859. It fell and shattered during a storm on January 8, 2017.
The Railroad Fire was a wildfire that burned in between the communities of Sugar Pine and Fish Camp in the Sierra National Forest in California, United States. The fire was reported on August 29, 2017 and burned 12,407 acres (50 km2) before it was fully contained on October 24. It occurred during the historic 2011–2017 California drought. The cause of the fire remains unknown.
The Ferguson Fire was a major wildfire in the Sierra National Forest, Stanislaus National Forest and Yosemite National Park in California in the United States. The fire was reported on July 13, 2018, burning 96,901 acres (392 km2), before it was 100% contained on August 19, 2018. Interior areas of the fire continued to smolder and burn until September 19, 2018, when InciWeb declared the fire to be inactive. The Ferguson Fire was caused by the superheated fragments of a faulty vehicle catalytic converter igniting vegetation. The fire, which burned mostly in inaccessible wildland areas of the national forest, impacted recreational activities in the area, including in Yosemite National Park, where Yosemite Valley and Wawona were closed. The Ferguson Fire caused at least $171.2 million in damages, with a suppression cost of $118.5 million and economic losses measuring $52.7 million. Two firefighters were killed and nineteen others were injured in the fire.
The SQF Complex fire—also called the SQF Lightning Complex—was a wildfire complex that burned in Tulare County in Central California in 2020. Comprising the Castle and Shotgun fires, it affected Sequoia National Forest and adjacent areas. Both fires began on August 19, 2020, and burned a combined total of 175,019 acres before the complex as a whole was declared 100 percent contained on January 6, 2021. In the course of the fires, 232 structures were destroyed. There were no fatalities.
The Washburn Fire was a wildfire that burned in Yosemite National Park near the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias. The fire was reported on July 7, 2022, in the lower Mariposa Grove area near the Washburn trail, for which the fire is named. The fire quickly attracted national attention due in part to the role the Mariposa Grove played in the establishment of Yosemite National Park and the National Park Service.
The Mariposa Grove Cabin, originally built in 1864 by Galen Clark, Yosemite's first guardian and discoverer of the Mariposa Grove, stands as an iconic symbol of Yosemite National Park. Located near the General Grant and General Sheridan trees, the cabin has been rebuilt three times on the same site, with the current structure dating to 1931. Although not an exact replica of the original, the cabin reflects a blend of Rustic style and minor Art Deco styles, showcasing natural materials and skilled craftsmanship.
Exhibition trees are monarch specimens of Sequoiadendron giganteum harvested from California's Sierra Nevada Mountains and displayed at international expositions, world's fairs, and botanical gardens during the late 19th century. Renowned for their immense size and age, these trees fascinated 19th-century audiences and played a pivotal role in raising awareness about the need for conservation.
The iconic grove of giant and ancient sequoia trees in California's Yosemite National Park is no longer under direct threat from the wildfire still burning through a southern section of the park and the nearby Sierra National Forest ... foresters and ecologists say a half-century of intentional burning or 'prescribed fire' practices in and around the area dramatically reduced forest 'fuel' there, allowing the blaze to pass through the grove with the trees unscathed.