JOHN MUIR-KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARK PLATE IX. Part of South Wall of Tehipitee Valley PLATE VIII. Tehipitee Dome, Upper End of Tehipitee Valley (Middle Fork of the Kings River) PROPOSED John Muir-Kings Canyon National Park Including a Summary oj A RIVAL OE THE YOSEMITE THE CANYON OF THE SOUTH FORK OF THE KING'S RIVER, CALIFORNIA By JOHN MUIR WITH PLATES OF ORIGINAL DRAWINGS BY CHARLES D. ROBINSON WHICH APPEARED IN THE CENTURY MAGAZINE November, 1891 Reproduced by permission of D. Applcton-Century Co. Reprinted from Planning and Civic Comment January -\farcb, 19 39 AMERICAN PLANNING AND CIVIC ASSOCIATION 901 UNION TRUST BUILDING WASHINGTON, D. C. John Muir-Kings Canyon National Park Commands Wide Support The proposed John Muir-Kings Canyon National Park would preserve for all time in the National Park System the superlative canyons ol the Kings River, described by John Muir in the accompanying Century article, lirst published in 1891, together with the Evolution Basin and the high peaks of the finest part of the Sierra Nevada, including Mt. Clarence King, Mt. Hatchings, the Sphinx, Tehipite Dome, Paradise Peak, Glacier Monu­ ment, Avalanche Peak, Grand Sentinel and scores of others. The park would encompass Muir, Cartridge, Mather and Granite Passes, and, along the boundary would touch Alts. Darwin, Haeckel, Pinchot, and the Pali­ sades as well as Bishop, Taboose, Sawmill, Kearsarge and Forester Passes. General Grant National Park would become General Grant Grove in the new park and the Big Trees of Redwood Canyon, now unprotected, would form another grove in the park. The project has commanded wide support in the State of California and has been approved by the following organizations: Sierra Club. 1 lanford City Trustees. California State Grange. Selma farm Bureau. John Muir Association Kerman Farm Bureau. Kings River Water Association. Fresno County, Pomona Grange. Hotel Men's Association of Southern Fig Gardens Farm Bureau. California. Selma Rotary Club. Santa Barbara City Chamber of Com­ Kingsburg Kiwanis Club. merce. Avenal Chamber of Commerce. Kings County Board ol Supervisors. Kingsburg Farm Bureau. Lemoore American Legion Post No. 100. Riverdale Chamber of Commerce. Santa Barbara County Planning Com­ mission. Fresno County Chamber of Commerce. Tulare City Chamber of Commerce. Kings County Farm Bureau. Kingsburg City Chamber of Commerce. Orange Cove Chamber of Commerce. Hotel Greeters' Association, Charter \\ oodlake Chamber of Commerce. No. 01. Riverdale Lions Club. San Joaquin I Intel Council. I lanford City Chamber of Commerce. Selma Chamber of Commerce. Kings County Central Democratic Com­ Los Angeles Hotel Greeters', Charter mittee. No. 30. Ventura County Board of Supervisors. Lemoore Chamber of Commerce. Federal Business Men's Garden Club Stratford Chamber of Commerce. of Oakland. Lemoore City Council. Brentwood Lions Club. The American Planning and Civic Association commends this project to the Nation as one entitled to enthusiastic support. Copies of this Bulletin may be secured from the Association, 901 Union Trust Building, Washington, D. C. 4 Pi.ATI ! General View ol Kings ( anyon from Grand Lookout PLATE II. General View of the Canyon, looking east Proposed John Muir-Kings Canyon National Park OHN MUIR first visited the Whitney area. In 1926 the Kern Kings River Canyon in [875. country and Mount Whitney were J For the fourth time he in­ added to the Sequoia National Park, spected the canyon in 1891, just and this with private lands pur­ after the squeezed-down Sequoia chased gave to the park the custody National Park had been established. of 27 groves containing many thou­ This gave to the American people sands of the great red trees of the some of the best of the "Big Trees" Sierra Nevada, the California Big in the vicinity and some fine moun­ Trees (Sequoia gigantea). tain scenery, but failed to include During all these years, ever since the spectacular Mount Whitney, the the Miller bill of 1881, repeated highest peak in the United States efforts have been made to bring the outside of Alaska, and the marvel- marvclously beautiful Kings canyons ously beautiful valleys of the Kings and high country into a national and Kern Rivers. park, but the bills have always As far back as 1881, just 9 years failed of passage. Measures for the alter the creation ol Yellowstone general public good which run National Park, a bill was introduced counter to real or fancied finan­ into Congress by Senator Miller of cial interests are notoriously hard to California to create a national park pass, especially as the commercial of "the whole west Hank of the exploitation of a region centers in Sierra Nevada from Tchipitc to a the population around it and this point southeast of Porterville, and population makes itself vocal to its from the higher foothills eastward representatives in Congress, who by to the summit of the range." The bill custom sponsor measures affecting never came out ol committee. On the disposition of public lands in September 25, 1890, the Sequoia their State and District. The bills National Park was established, but to bring the Kings country into the the boundaries omitted Mount Whit­ National Park System have been no ney, the Kern and Kings canyons, exception. In the early days the and by this time, even within the lumbermen and the stock men op­ smaller area to be preserved, there posed the creation of a park, though w ere pn\ ate proper! ies w Inch had to many ol the huge trees which were be purchased through the efforts of cut have newer been removed from public-spirited citizens. On October 1 their graves and no one was the of the same year, General Grant gainer. Then came the power com­ National Park of some 2500 acres panies who opposed the proposed was created to preserve "General park. When the application ol the Grant" and other line big trees. power companies was denied by the Federal Power Commission, they from [916 to 1926 there was a came to the conclusion that the sites pending bill before each session of lor commercial power were not Congress to enlarge the Sequoia feasible within the boundaries as National Park to include the Kings proposed in the twenties, and with- and Kern canvons and the Mount / Proposed John Muir-Kings Canyon National Park drew their opposition. Then the Even within the ~j years which irrigationists, who can find adequate have elapsed since the early discov­ storage for irrigation purposes out­ eries in this region, the untouched side of the proposed park, have op­ wilderness in the United States has posed the park because tbey may find shrunk from seemingly illimitable two or three sites lor power reser­ regions to easily counted tracts. voirs within the proposed boun­ Such country has steadily acquired daries which will permit them to increased value, because of its com­ develop power to help them pay for parative scarcity and increasing their irrigation water. Some of the demands for outdoor recreation and short-sighted business interests of refreshment. California have organized to oppose For the benefit of those who ap­ any further national parks in Cali­ preciate inspiring scenery, who value fornia, forgetting that the revenues the opinion of John Muir and revere to the people of the State from his memory, we condense an article recreation tourists and sojourners which he wrote for Century Maga­ are among the principal financial zine and which appeared in Novem­ assets ol California. As solutions lor ber of 1801, together with the nine the problems raised have been found, superb illustrations which accom­ support for the project has grown. panied the eloquent words of Muir. A Rival of the Yosemite The Canyon of the South Fork of King's River, California In the vast Sierra wilderness tar to the As to waterfalls, those of the new valley southward of the famous Yosemite Val­ arc far less striking in general views, al­ ley, there is a yet grander valley of the though the volume ol falling water is same kind. It is situated on the south fork nearly twice as great and comes from of King's River, above the most extensive higher sources. The descent of the King's groves and forests ol the giant sequoia, and River streams is mostly made in the form beneath the shadows of the highest moun­ of cascades, which are outspread in (hit tains in the range, where the canyons are plume-like sheets on smooth slopes, or are deepest andt he snow-laden peaks a re crowd­ squeezed in narrow-throated gorges, boil­ ed most closely together. It is called the ing, seething, in deep swirling pools, Big King's River Canyon, or King's River pouring from [in to Iin, and breaking into Yosemite, and is reached by way ol ragged, tossing masses of spray and loam Visalia, the nearest point on the Southern in boulder-choked canyons—making mar­ Pacific Railroad, from which the distance velous mixtures with the downpouring is about forty-five miles, or by the Kear- sunbeams, displaying a thousand forms sarge Pass from the east side ol the range. and colors, and giving forth a great variety It is about ten miles long, half a mile wide, of wild mountain melody, which, rolling and the stupendous rocks ol purplish gray from side to side against the echoing cliffs, granite that form the walls are from 2500 is at length all combined into one smooth, to 5000 feet in height, while the depth of massy sea-like roar. the valley below the general surface of the The bottom of the valley is about $000 mountain mass from which it has been feet above the sea, and its level or gently carved is considerable- more than a mile.