General Sherman

General Sherman is a giant sequoia in Giant Forest at Sequoia National Park in the United States and stands as the largest tree on Earth by volume. The trunk rises to about 84 meters high (275 feet) and measures roughly 11 meters across at the base (36 feet), while the thick reddish-brown bark shows several prominent ridges and furrows.

Naturalist James Wolverton named this tree in 1879 after General William Tecumseh Sherman, under whom he served during the American Civil War in the 9th Indiana Cavalry. The establishment of Sequoia National Park in 1890 solidified the official recognition of the name and protected the tree from commercial logging.

Today people from around the world gather quietly around this sequoia and often regard it as a symbol of conservation and American natural heritage. Many visitors leave their impressions along the nearby trails and viewpoints, where they share their reverence for the natural world with fellow travelers.

Visitors reach the tree along a paved path that winds through Giant Forest and remains accessible for wheelchairs. During wildfire season, park authorities sometimes install fire-resistant wrapping to protect the trunk from intense heat.

A remarkable event occurred in 2006 when a massive limb broke off from the tree and damaged the walkway below. This limb alone was comparable to a normal mature tree and demonstrated the extraordinary proportions of giant sequoias.

Location: Tulare County

Height: 83.8 m

Diameter: 4.3 m

Website: https://nps.gov/seki/learn/nature/sherman.htm

GPS coordinates: 36.58167,-118.75139

Latest update: December 12, 2025 16:42