General Sherman Tree

With a trunk volume of about 1,487 m³ (52,500 cubic feet), the General Sherman Tree in the Giant Forest of Sequoia National Park is the largest known living tree on Earth, though it is neither the tallest, the widest nor the oldest. The giant sequoia stands about 84 m (275 feet) tall and is estimated to be 2,300 to 2,700 years old. In 1879 naturalist James Wolverton named it after Civil War general William T. Sherman, under whom he had served.

From the main parking lot off Wolverton Road, a paved path with a few sets of stairs leads about 800 m (half a mile) and roughly 60 m (200 feet) downhill to the tree; the way back is uphill. With a disabled parking placard, you can use a small lot right on the Generals Highway. The Congress Trail starts at the tree and takes you past more giant sequoias. If you are driving an RV or towing a trailer, check conditions on the Generals Highway before you go.