Sequoia National Park is the nation's second-oldest national park, a
spectacular, awe-inspiring place preserving the world's largest trees
and the highest peak in the continental United States. The park's human
history glows as richly as its natural splendor--among the stories are a
utopian collective targeting social change with lumber profits, a
newspaperman's tireless editorializing to preserve giant Sequoias, a
Spanish-American War veteran ushering in an era of preservationism, and
the army's only African American commanding officer whose tenure as park
superintendent still inspires. The Civilian Conservation Corps toiled
here, turning the hardships of the Great Depression into lasting
contributions for the common good. And, most importantly, generations of
visitors have discovered here sights and experiences on a scale that
challenges human comprehension and stirs the sense of wonder.