Giant sequoias, Sequoia National Park, California, USA

© Galyna Andrushko/Shutterstoc

The realm of ancient giants. Sequoia National Park, California, USA

Sequoia National Park was founded in 1890 in the southern Sierra Nevada to protect one of America's natural splendors. Named after the giant sequoias that dominate the landscape, the park spans more than 629 square miles and is home to wildlife such as black bears, mule deer and over 200 species of birds, including warblers, vireos and flycatchers. The giant sequoia trees here have been rooted for more than 2,200 years and are among Earth's oldest living organisms. The park's renowned General Sherman tree rises to about 84 metres. Named after the American Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman, it's not only tall but is also nearly 11 metres wide. Visitors flock to capture moments among these ancient giants, whose reddish-brown, fibrous bark and wide-reaching branches evoke a sense of living history.