June 20, 2026
Mariposa Grove is the largest grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite and is home to more than 500 mature trees, many of which are over 2,000 years old. They are the largest species of tree by volume, meaning no other tree species in the world contains as much wood in a single trunk.
Their bark can be up to 2 feet thick which protects them from heat and fires. In 2022 a fire that started near the bottom of the grove burned about 5000 acres but because of decades of forest management and an intensive fire fighting effort none of the mature giant sequoias were lost. Many do however have blackened trunks. In fact, sequoias commonly carry fire scars for centuries while they continue to grow.
The Grizzly Giant is estimated to be around 3,000 years old and is among the world’s largest sequoias.
The California Tunnel Tree is a living tree with a man-made tunnel carved through its trunk in 1895.
Mal and Lauren 