Pearfection

Looking for an overnight backpacking trip deep into the tallest mountain range in the lower 48? Pear Lake is your destination: a sparkling emerald lake surrounded by jagged granite peaks with multiple cascading waterfalls filling its glacial green waters. Pear Lake—yep, it's pear-shaped—is a popular backpacking trip, and half the fun is getting there. Starting from the Wolverton trailhead, the path steadily ascends through a thick white fir and lodgepole forest. After a few miles you'll reach a view point—and what a view it is! The Watchtower is the spot to break for lunch; you can see far into Tokopah Valley, where the biggest waterfall in the park, Tokapah Falls, tumbles for over 1,000 feet. After refueling, start the most thrilling part of the trek—a narrow and exposed section of the Watchtower trail skirting 2,000 feet above the valley floor. Soon after, you'll pass three tiny and shiny glacier-fed lakes: Heather, Aster, and Emerald. From Emerald Lake, it's only another 30 minutes to Pear Lake. Pick a designated campsite—all within a hop-skip-and-a-dip from the lake. Pearfect.

Pick up a wilderness permit to spend the night at Pear Lake. Wilderness permits for Pear Lake are not reservable and are made on a first-come-first-served basis at the Lodgepole Visitor Center. Pick up a permit the day before or the day of your trip for $15. Park at Wolverton and follow the Lakes Trail all the way to Pear Lake (you can bypass the Watchtower Trail by taking the Hump Trail). No dogs.

Peaceful Giants

Sequoia's main attraction is the General Sherman tree, literally the largest living thing on earth. Hordes of visitors make the easy .4-mile mini-pilgrimage to see the General, but a funny thing happens if you go just a few minutes beyond: The people disappear! By continuing on the Congress Trail and hooking up with the Trail of the Sequoias, you'll be hiking through the heart of Giant Forest, where mule deer and chipmunks may be your only companions. The forest is filled with big red beauties rising toward the sky like ancient columns. In a few miles you'll reach the northern edge of Sequoia's number two attraction, Crescent Meadow. Take a peek at Tharp's Log—a fallen, hollow giant Sequoia that was once the home of an old, resourceful pioneer. Make a loop back to General Sherman, passing more impressive groves with names like "The House" and "The Senate." These big trees always get the people's vote.

A map is a must. Pick up a "Giant Forest" map from any of the park's visitor centers. Look for the "Trail of the Sequoias/Circle Meadow Loop" description on the back. From the General Sherman Tree, take the Congress Trail. Just past the "President Tree, " take the Trail of the Sequoias. Follow this for about 2 miles; make a right down to Log Meadow at the first trail intersection. Continue to Tharp's Log and Chimney Tree. Head north via Circle Meadow until the trail links back up with the Congress Trail, which takes you back to the start.

Rock 'N' Views

Sunsets in the Sequoias are worth the effort to find prime viewing spots. The good news is there are two places that are easy to reach, and hard to beat.

Touchdown!: You'd think more people would make the short .7-mile hike out to Sunset Rock (pictured), but fortunately, it hasn't made it onto the tourist to-do list. All the better to enjoy this expansive granite slab—the size of a football field—on your own. Pack a pre-dinner snack and take a seat on one of the park's grandest benches to watch the sun sink behind the mountains.

To Moro: Moro Rock is a Sequoia staple. The quarter mile (300-foot vertical) ascent to the top of this dome-shaped granite monolith rewards with unobstructed views of the Western Divide, from the tall and pointy tips of Sawtooth to the Triple Divide Peak. Go an hour before sunset to catch Mother Nature's late-day show.

There are a few drive-in campgrounds in the park. Lower-elevation ones like Potwisha and Buckeye Flat can get firecracker-hot. Try to get a spot at Lodgepole's tent-only sites (we liked riverside sites like 38 – 45, 97 – 101, 121 – 144). Or get a room at the tastefully appointed Wuksachi Lodge. Built just 10 years ago, the lodge is made up of four separate buildings. Get dinner at the on-site glass-walled restaurant, which combines upscale and rustic décor, a giant fireplace, friendly staff, and earth-friendly food.

Skinny Dip: Truth or Dare