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25-487: 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. The Mariposa Grove was first visited by non-native people in 1857 when Galen Clark and Milton Mann found it. They named

50-419: A free shuttle on a two-mile ride to the restored grove. 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

75-445: A guest lodge in 1972, later served as a dormitory, and was eventually removed due to environmental concerns. 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. The tour, which provided visitors with headphone-guided experiences among

100-729: 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. 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 . Many trees in Mariposa Grove are named after 19th-century American figures, like conservationist Galen Clark, or for their unique characteristics, such as

125-424: A tree, which is protected by its bark , without having thinner, more flammable branches, leaves or needles within easy reach of the fire. Apart from tree limbs, anything that would help that fire move up into the tree canopy is a fuel ladder. This includes shrubs and even tall grass or weeds. Non-vegetation fuel sources such as woodpiles, wooden fenceposts and structures should also be considered. The intent

150-753: 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. Clark built the first permanent structure in the grove, a cabin from which he guided tourists. The site now houses the Mariposa Grove Museum. In 1881, the Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Company carved a tunnel through the Wawona Tree in Mariposa Grove, large enough to accommodate stagecoaches. The tunnel, measuring 7 ft (2.1 m) wide, 9 ft (2.7 m) high, and 26 ft (7.9 m) long, transformed

175-534: 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

200-529: 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. 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

225-617: The Giant Sequoia National Monument Visitor's Guide (2003), and the Draft Giant Sequoia National Monument Plan 2010. Currently, the U.S. National Park Service cites Rundel's total of 75 groves in its visitor publications. The updated lists from Willard and Flint are now known to be more accurate, therefore some of Rundel's 75 groves have been removed from this list. Below compiles a list of 81 giant sequoia groves. The 7 groves north of

250-1008: The Kaweah River watershed are all in Sequoia National Park or in mixed BLM and private ownership, except the northernmost in Sequoia National Forest & Kings Canyon National Park (listed north to south): The 25 groves in the Tule River , Kern River , and Deer Creek watersheds are mostly in Giant Sequoia National Monument , with some areas in Sequoia National Park , Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest , and Tule River Reservation ; all are in southern Tulare County (listed north to south): Download coordinates as: Fuel ladder Potential fuel ladders should be removed to reduce

275-682: The Kings River watershed are in Tahoe National Forest , Calaveras Big Trees State Park , Yosemite National Park , or Sierra National Forest (listed north to south): The 18 groves in the Kings River watershed are in Kings Canyon National Park , the northern section of Giant Sequoia National Monument , or Sequoia National Forest , in southern Fresno County and northern Tulare County (listed north to south): The 31 groves in

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300-571: The Wawona Hotel . The camp featured cabins where visitors could stay overnight, right among the giant sequoias. 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.. Originally intended for year-round use, the lodge operated from June to September due to heavy snowfall. It closed as

325-532: 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. Due to deterioration, the original cabin was replaced by the current structure, which

350-496: The Kings River watershed. The total area of all the groves combined is approximately 14,416 ha (35,623 acres). The groves are listed from north to south in the list below. This list is based on five different sources, with slightly varying views on what constitutes a discrete grove; the differing interpretations are noted in italics . The lists of groves were compiled by Rundel (1972; recognizing 75 groves), Flint (1987; recognizing 65 groves), Willard (1994; recognizing 65 groves),

375-656: 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. The Mariposa Grove Museum is a historic log cabin that opened to the public in 1931. Positioned near

400-538: The construction of Highway 41 in 1933 made the park more accessible. 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

425-508: The giant sequoias, ran until 2014 when it was discontinued as part of the restoration effort that removed the asphalt roads from the grove. 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. The project focused on protecting tree root systems and restoring natural water flows which had been impeded by paved roads throughout

450-476: The grove after Mariposa County, California , where the grove is located. 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. The Mariposa Grove Museum

475-414: 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. Visitors now begin their journey at a welcome plaza near the park’s south entrance, taking

500-426: The legislative mandate that excludes commercial timber harvest. Logging of non-sequoia timber continued as recently as the 1980, especially old-growth ponderosa and sugar pine , which have been logged almost to extinction amongst the groves. Groves in the northern half of the range (north of the Kings River ) are widely scattered and host smaller collections of giant sequoias than groves found within and south of

525-572: The moist, unglaciated ridges and valleys of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada range in California , United States . They can be found at elevations between 1,400 and 2,400 m (4,593 and 7,874 ft). While many groves are within national park boundaries, such as Sequoia National Park and Yosemite National Park , most of the giant sequoia groves are under the care of the United States Forest Service , placing them outside

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550-417: The natural fire cycle disrupted by fire suppression after Anglo-American settlement. Natural fires historically occurred every one to fifteen years, and controlled burns were reintroduced in 1968 to preserve the grove. Controlled burns have been crucial. During the 2022 Washburn Fire , they helped firefighters protect ancient sequoias, demonstrating their effectiveness in forest conservation. Climate change

575-411: The risk of fire bridging the gap to the canopy. To remove the ladder requires pruning any low limbs up to a minimum of 8 feet, and potentially as high as 15 feet. The required height depends on how low the branch tips hang, the steepness of slope, and the height and spacing of other nearby vegetation. The desired result is to create a situation in which a low-burning fire could burn to the trunk of

600-479: The tree into a significant tourist attraction and a symbol of the grove's colossal sequoias. 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. The introduction of automobiles significantly changed tourism at Yosemite National Park. The lift of the car ban in 1913 and

625-496: Was designed to echo the rustic style of its predecessor while incorporating modern building techniques for longevity. The museum housed within the cabin features historic photographs and exhibits detailing the history of the Mariposa Grove and its significance. The Mariposa Grove Cabin was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. List of sequoia groves This is a list of giant sequoia groves . All naturally occurring giant sequoia groves are located in

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