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Sequoia & Kings Canyon National ParkGiant Forest Museum
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Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park
Moro Rock and Crescent Meadow
Railings stretch out along either side of the Moro Rock overlook surrounded by the canyon of the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River

NPS photo Steve Collector

Visitors rest and and enjoy views of the High Sierra from Moro Rock at the Giant Forest's southern margin.

The 1996 Interim Management Plan called for the Moro Rock and Crescent Meadow road to be closed to summer vehicular traffic, accessible only by shuttle, bicycle, on foot, or by vehicles for visitors with disabilities. In 2007 the Sequoia Shuttle began operating on the Moro Rock and Crescent Meadow road, with the road remaining open to summer vehicular traffic during a pilot period. A road resurfacing project is planned for fall 2007 to improve this deteriorating road.

Climbing the 400 steps fitted into Moro Rock for a panoramic view of the high Sierra and canyons is a favorite visitor activity. Improvements have been made to accommodate a shuttle bus at the base of Moro Rock.

Sierran montane meadows are an integral part of the Giant Forest ecosystem. Crescent Meadow is one of the larger meadows in Giant Forest, and is a popular anchor for hiking opportunities. It is also a gateway for hikers of the high Sierra trails. Planned improvements to relocate picnicking away from the meadow, remove much of the parking and provide a shuttle loop, restore disturbed areas, and improve accessibility to visitors with disabilities have been deferred for lack of funding.
The Four Guardsmen (four sequoias), with the Generals Highway running between them.  

Did You Know?
Sometimes you will see sequoias in a straight row. This may happen because sequoia seeds prefer mineral-rich burned ground. When a fallen log burns long and hot, it leaves a strip of bare mineral-rich soil — an ideal place for new sequoias to grow. Years later, we see a line of sequoias!

Last Updated: August 18, 2007 at 12:35 EST