There is only one place in the world, at one time of year, that you can see dogwoods blooming next to giant sequoia redwoods. I had to go. The image I visualized was there waiting but there was so much more. From the town of Three Rivers and Keawah (with it's tiny Post Office and dinosaur sculptures in a field), up the winding road into Sequoia, there was so much to see before we ever got into the park.
The road up to from Three Rivers passes an old Potwisha (Native American) settlement with a ceremonial place of healing called Hospital Rock. The winds quickly up the mountains through a number of ecosystems. The wildflowers were amazing. Most prominent was the California Buckeye (Aesculus californica) but perhaps the highlight of the trip was finding a Mariposa Lily.
Another surprise was our walk through Crescent Meadow to Tharp's Log. I had hoped to photograph wildflowers in the meadow but instead got a bear! We found our wildflowers very near the parking lot at a place called Beetle Rock. Amazing!