No less an expert than John Muir declared the trees that grow in the southern Sierra, along the Tule River’s north fork, the finest he’d seen. Today Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest and Tulare County’s Balch Park—a separate park that sits inside the forest—hold some 5,000 old-growth sequoias, including the Genesis Tree (said to be the 7th largest in the world) and the Adam Tree (the 14th largest).

The big trees are reason enough to visit Mountain Home, but there is more: You’ll find easy hiking on the Loop and Forestry Information trails, more strenuous treks on the Redwood Crossing and Griswold trails. There’s tent camping at Frasier Mill, Hedrick Pond, and other campgrounds in the forest, as well as in Balch Park. And if you’re itching to see more of this country, you can saddle up at Balch Park Pack Station, which offers day and multiday rides deeper into the Sierra, in addition to shorter rides.

INFO: Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest is about 40 miles northeast of the Tulare County town of Porterville (93 campsites, free; 559/539-2321). Balch Park (71 campsites, $16 per night; 559/539-3896; horse rentals $25 per hour, $75 per day; 559/539-2227).