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Rambler Hikes 2026 Page 3 |
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Rambler Hikes 2017 Rambler Hikes 2018 Rambler Hikes 2019 Rambler Hikes 2020 Rambler Hikes 2021 Rambler Hikes 2022 Rambler Hikes 2023 Rambler Hikes 2024 |
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Indian Basin This hike brought together six Ramblers, all boys. Temperatures at home have been warming up, with a string of triple digits in store, so we were glad to get up above 5,000 feet. Even so, it was noticeably warm in the sun. Indian Basin is a sequoia grove a few miles outside of the Grant Grove section of Kings Canyon National Park, near Highway180 by Princess Campground and the turn-off to Hume Lake. Don't look for ancient giant trees here - all were cut down around the start of the 20th Century. Instead you will see a number of huge stumps, and dozens of young sequoias, a hundred feet tall or so, and maybe three to four feet in diameter at chest height. Come back in a thousand years and this will be a very impressive grove of big trees. |
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| The start of the trail is easy and flat | One of many big stumps that memorialize a once-magnificent grove |
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The trail is paved with asphalt, and has a few uphill sections, none very steep. The first stretch runs along a huge meadow, with views of high mountains beyond. There is an unpaved spur trail that goes along one end of the meadow for maybe a half mile. It's an out and back, not a loop, and we all went at least part way on that trail. Back on the paved route, we walked past cedars, ponderosa and sugar pines, many small shrubs, and of course, young sequoias. The meadow had a big patch of lupines, and there were other flowers along the trail. Once the trail moved away from the meadow, we were surrounded by massive numbers of ferns. |
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| We're calling this Princess Meadow, in honor of the camp name | Mountains beyond the meadow |
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| A massive patch of lupines in the meadow | |
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| Ramblers are surrounded by big ferns on all sides | Pointed tops identify young sequoias |
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When we returned to the parking area, we occupied a picnic table that was mostly in the shade, and enjoyed the lunch we had each brought. Our friend Julie, who no longer hikes, used to bring Snickers for everyone, so Dick provided a container of fun-size Snickers and Butterfingers for dessert. The Ramblers this day were Wes Thiessen, Don McClellan, Don Bandoni, Bruce Nieman, Keith Sohm, and Dick Estel. Everyone agreed this was a delightful location, and hopefully hiking here will be an annual event for the Ramblers. --Dick Estel, July 2026 |
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| Photos (Click to enlarge; pictures open in new window) | ||
| Indian Basin | ||
| Indian
Basin (Photos by Wes and Dick) |
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| Don B, Keith, Don M, Dick, Wes | Wes on the stump | Meadow and mountains |
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| Fine example of a young sequoia | Yarrow | California goldenrod |
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| Sequoia probably 125 years old | Bruce and Don B in conference | One of many big stumps along the trail |
| Related Links | ||
| Princess Campground | Sequoia National Forest | Indian Basin Grove |
| Kings Canyon National Park | ||