Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park
Mineral King Area
By Kimberly Lisagor
Mineral King Valley, an open glacial canyon hemmed in by the peaks of the Great Western Divide, has a special place in the hearts of many park visitors. Accessible only by a long, slow-going road, the valley is a place where nature, not humans, dominates.
Mineral King first gained recognition in the early 1870s when silver was discovered in the valley. Miners rushed to the area in 1873. The mines never produced, but the Mineral King Road, built by a mining company in 1879, did open the area to logging, hydroelectric development, tourism, and the building of summer cabins.
The valley and surrounding peaks, 12,600 acres, were added to Sequoia National Park in September 1978 through legislation, ending close to 20 years of controversy over a proposed ski resort development. Prior to 1978, the area was part of Sequoia National Forest and was designated as a game refuge.
Special features of the Mineral King area include:
Atwell (Skinner) Grove: This sequoia grove was partially logged in the 1890s. It continues onto Paradise Ridge, giving it the highest elevation of any sequoia grove. The Paradise Peak Trail explores the upper part of the grove.
Atwell Mill: In a clearing across from the Atwell Mill Ranger Residence stands a large steam engine, one of the last signs of the mill that was used for cutting timber from the surrounding forests. Kaweah colonists leased the site after their Giant Forest claims were disallowed. Many young sequoias have grown up around the mill site in the 75100 years since logging ceased.
Mineral King Valley: This unique, glacially sculpted valley exhibits a variety of rock types, including marble, shale, schist, and granite. Vegetation includes sagebrush, pinemat manzanita, and a great variety of wildflowers that prosper in the open sun.
Cold Springs Nature Trail: The exhibits along this easy one-mile trail illustrate the natural history of the Mineral King Valley. The trail begins in Cold Springs Campground across from the ranger station.
Sawtooth Peak (12,343 feet) is the most prominent peak in the Mineral King area. Upper portions of the peak are granite and shaped by glaciers. As with other peaks surrounding the valley, Sawtooth resembles the Rocky Mountains more than the Sierras, due to the predominance of metamorphic rocks in the Mineral King area.
