Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Giant sequoias wear a winter frosting.

The General Sherman Tree stands tall in Sequoia National Park.

Giant sequoias tower above humans in these national parks.

These two national parks harbor the world's largest living trees, the giant sequoia.

The two parks meet in the High Sierra. Kings Canyon National Park contains two enormous canyons of the Kings River and the summit peaks and mountain wilderness of the High Sierra. Mount Whitney, which at 14,494 feet is the highest point in the 48 contiguous United States, towers over Sequoia National Park.

At the northern end of Kings Canyon is Grant Grove. The largest tree, the General Sherman, stands in Giant Forest in Sequoia National Park, home to four of the world's five-largest sequoias.

The 46-mile General's Highway is the main road connecting the two parks. It provides access to scenic overlooks, Indian pictographs and interesting rock formations.

The parks, which together cover 865,952 acres, have more than 800 miles of trails in the high country as well as lakes and streams. During the winter, snowshoe excursions, cross-country skiing and snow camping are popular.

A wilderness backpacking permit is required.