Tulare: Nature, Sequoias and History

At Pixley National Wildlife Refuge, visitors can observe wintering sandhill cranes seasonally. They are there from September to March, with up to 6,000 birds during peak periods. Numbers and timing vary from year to year. For those who want to combine nature watching with a different season, Tulare County also offers mountain landscapes, sequoia groves and historic sites.

Mountain Landscapes, Hiking Trails and Caves

Mineral King is a subalpine landscape with pines, sequoias and firs, as well as granite and slate formations. The valley lies at an elevation of 7,800 to 14,000 feet. The area is seasonally open from late May to October and closed in winter because of snowfall; specific opening dates depend on weather and road conditions. Hiking trails there include the Cold Springs Nature Loop Trail and the Eagle and Mosquito Lakes Trail. Both routes are remote and challenging.

Another nature excursion leads to Crystal Cave, a marble cavern with a 0.5-mile loop through the cave. Visits are by tour only. Vehicles with a total length of more than 22 feet are not permitted on Crystal Cave Road. Road conditions and restrictions can change, so it is advisable to check current notices before setting out. The Western Divide Route provides access to the Trail of 100 Giants and the surrounding recreation areas; conditions in the mountains can change rapidly here, too.

Sequoias and Access to Sequoia National Park

Tulare County includes Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park, where visitors can hike among towering sequoias. In Sequoia National Park, the paved Congress Trail begins near the General Sherman Tree. The two-mile loop passes through a grove of majestic sequoias. Temporary construction may affect some sections.

Sequoia National Park can be reached via the Ash Mountain Entrance on Highway 198 through Visalia, as well as via the Lookout Point Entrance from Visalia and the exit near Three Rivers. Road conditions and entrance availability can change. At Giant Forest, visitors can get trail information from rangers and purchase maps. Ranger programs and self-guided interpretive trails through meadows and sequoia groves are also available there.

History and Cultural Sites

Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park preserves a historic California town founded, financed and governed by African Americans. The annual Rededication commemorates the contributions of African Americans to the history of California and the United States. Check event dates when planning your trip.

The Charter Oak, also called the Election Tree, stands at the site where the election to organize Tulare County was held on July 10, 1852. The original Tulare County Museum building displays Yokuts baskets, pioneer-era artifacts and agricultural equipment; the collections on display may change over time. The Museum Alliance Trail includes a map of participating museums in Tulare County. App content may be updated. At Hospital Rock, rock paintings and mortars commemorate Native American history.

The best time to travel also depends on which experiences matter most to you: crane watching runs from September to March, while Mineral King is seasonally open from late May to October. If you want to include several of these destinations in a hotel stay, plan your itinerary around their respective seasonal windows and conditions.

Discover more destinations: Porterville, Tulare, Visalia, Three Rivers, Sequoia National Park, Dinuba, Lindsay, Pixley, Springville.

For the overview of the wider region: California.