A giant sequoia is one of the largest and most magnificent living things on Earth, a species of enormous tree that grows only in a small region of California's Sierra Nevada mountains. These trees can live for over 3,000 years and grow as tall as a 26-story building, with trunks so wide that it would take 20 kids holding hands to circle one.

The most famous giant sequoia is probably General Sherman, a tree in Sequoia National Park that weighs about as much as 10 blue whales and is still growing. Its bark can be two feet thick, which helps protect it from forest fires. In fact, giant sequoias actually need fire to reproduce: the heat from flames causes their cones to open and release seeds.

Giant sequoias are different from coast redwoods, which grow taller but aren't as massive overall. Think of sequoias as the bodybuilders of the tree world: shorter than redwoods but far bulkier and heavier.

These ancient giants survived the Ice Age and have watched human history unfold beneath their branches. Standing next to one makes you feel incredibly small, but also connected to something much larger and older than yourself.