Report on King's River Canon and Vicinity. 121 



corporate a description of it in a report on the Kern River Canon, 

 which v/ill be issued in some future year. 



Visalia-Big Meadows Route. — There is a road, also leading 

 from Visalia, which takes one into the Big Meadows, but the 

 upper end of this road is not in the best of repair, and there is 

 no stage-line operating on it. Big Meadows is only ten or 

 twelve miles by trail from the King's River Canon, and though 

 travel by trail is so materially shortened, this route is seldom 

 used. 



Independence-Kearsarge Route. — The King's River Canon can 

 also be reached by trail via Independence and Kearsarge Pass 

 (nearly 12,000 feet in elevation) ; but this pass can seldom be 

 crossed earlier than July on account of the snow. 



THE STATE ROAD. 



Most of the routes by trail will be abandoned upon com- 

 pletion of the new road into the canon. This will follow the 

 general route of the Lower trail from Millwood via General 

 Grant Park and Long Meadow until it crosses Ten-Mile Creek. 

 From this point it will descend to the main King's River, which 

 it will cross by bridge just below the mouth of Boulder Creek. 

 It will then follow up the north side of the river, keeping near 

 it until it reaches the King's River Canon proper. 



The Chairman of this committee recently had a conversation 

 with Mr. Ellery, State Highway Commissioner, who has charge 

 of the construction of this road, and Mr. Ellery stated that the 

 survey was nearly complete, and that the actual construction of 

 the road would be commenced early in 1907, and would probably 

 be complete some time in 1908. Mr. Ellery was very enthusiastic 

 over the route selected, stating that the scenery in the main 

 gorge of the King's River in the vicinity of the proposed bridge 

 below the mouth of Boulder Creek was as magnificent as any he 

 had ever seen. Limestone cliffs of dazzling whiteness descend 

 sheer into the river, while the tremendous caiion and foaming 

 rapids of the river itself will make this mountain route famous 

 for its picturesque beauty. When completed, this road will open 

 up and make accessible to the traveling public all the wonderful 

 scenic features of this wild mountain park. 



THE FOREST SERVICE. 



The entire region which has been described in this report is 

 embraced in the Sierra Forest Reserve. The public is to be 

 congratulated that this region has for these many years been 

 under the wise protection of the forest reserve system, which 

 has been brought to its present standard of excellence through 



