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New Visitor Facilities
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The Giant Forest Museum, converted from the historic
Market building, introduces visitors to the natural history of the big
trees.
© NPS photo by Athena Demetry.
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Giant Forest
Museum
The Giant Forest
Museum, together with a connecting nature trail system leading to Round
Meadow and vicinity, provides a basic introduction to the primary features of
Giant Forest including its giant sequoias, meadows, and human history. The
renovation of the historic Giant Forest market building, which is listed on
the National Register of Historic Places, began in 1999, and conversion to a
museum and visitor center was completed in summer 2001. The Giant Forest
Museum, designed to serve as the starting point for visits to the grove,
provides visitors the opportunity to learn the story of the giant sequoias
and Giant Forest. Self-guiding interpretive trails lead from the museum to
the Round Meadow and Hazelwood areas. To support the museum, the Beetle Rock
building was retained to serve as a classroom and auditorium for educational
purposes, run by the
Sequoia Natural History Association. The ranger
residence and comfort station join the museum and Beetle Rock Educational
Center as the only four buildings retained in Giant Forest.
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New exhibits in the Museum illustrate the natural and
human history of Giant Forest. © SNHA
Photo by Steven M. Bumgardner.
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Parking
lots for the Giant Forest Museum, accommodating up to 240 vehicles, were
constructed in the former Upper and Lower Kaweah areas on sites previously
occupied by buildings and parking lots. Small, accessible parking lots and
shuttle stops are provided at the Museum and Round Meadow. New comfort
stations were installed in the Lower Kaweah and Round Meadow areas.
Trails were rebuilt to connect the Museum and the Big Trees trail
around
Round Meadow. Trails were reconstructed using boardwalk, bridges, and split-
rail fencing in sensitive locations to allow visitors to enjoy the meadow and
big trees without adversely affecting soils, vegetation, wildlife, and
natural drainage patterns.
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