Sierra Nevada, Mountain range between California and Nevada, United States.
Sierra Nevada is a mountain range in California and Nevada that stretches 400 miles from north to south and reaches 14,505 feet (4,421 meters) at its highest point, Mount Whitney. The eastern slopes drop sharply while the western slopes rise more gradually and form numerous river valleys.
The range gained worldwide recognition during the California Gold Rush beginning in 1848, when thousands of prospectors poured into the western foothills. The discoveries led to rapid settlement of the valleys and the founding of numerous mining towns in the following years.
American indigenous peoples used the mountain passes for centuries as trade routes between different settlements and valleys. Their paths often follow natural corridors through the peaks and connect the dry eastern side with the wetter western slopes.
Three national parks - Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia - lie within this range and offer numerous hiking trails and campsites for different seasons. The high elevations are often inaccessible in winter due to snow, while the middle elevations are best reached from spring through fall.
The western slopes hold scattered groves of giant sequoias, the largest trees on Earth by volume, which grow between 5,000 and 7,000 feet (1,500 and 2,100 meters) in elevation. Some of these trees are over 3,000 years old and can reach more than 30 feet (9 meters) in diameter.
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