From Stumped to Inspired

The Big Stump Trail in Sequoia & Kings Canyon Park winds through a grove of giant sequoias that was logged in the nineteenth century. What remains are enormous stumps that feel beautiful and otherworldly–like wooden sculptures shaped into mushroom tops or spaceships scattered across the forest floor.

This easy 2-mile walk passes a variety of massive stumps, fallen logs, pockets of new growth, and a picturesque meadow before arriving at the Mark Twain Stump, the trail’s most famous landmark. 

In 1891, two men spent 13 days sawing down the 300-foot tree. Its cross-sections were shipped to New York’s American Museum of Natural History and London’s British Museum, where crowds marveled in disbelief that such a tree could exist.

Today, the stump has stairs leading to its flat top, offering a unique vantage point to appreciate its sheer size—16 feet across. From there, the trail continues across Highway 180 through a particularly lush section alive with fresh growth. Walking among these stumps is a powerful reminder of the importance of conservation, but there’s also a quiet joy in witnessing the forest’s resilience and renewal.

Directions. Park at the Big Stump Picnic Area parking lot. Find the trailhead near the restrooms. No dogs.

Story and photos by Yvonne Pasquini, @yvonne_pasquini