On Friday, June 19, 2015, six clients and two staff members headed out on a long, but scenic drive to Sequoia National Park. We set out on an adventure to zip line, swim, hike, and see some of the largest trees in the world.
Day One
Our first stop was in Corona, CA, at Skull Canyon for zip lining. After taking a safari truck into the canyon we had a 30 minute hike ahead of us into the canyon. Skull Canyon features 5 different zip lines including a speed run which is 1600 feet of pure adrenaline. Everyone made it through the zip lines without getting stuck!
With our energy running high, we set out on a long drive to Kern River to set up camp. Driving through the canyons we could hear the Kern River flowing, and finally made it to our campsite at Limestone Campground. We set up our tents right next to the river and immediately put on our bathing suits. We swam and relaxed in the river, and worked up an appetite. That night we had chicken breasts and baked beans made by Chef John (one of the adventure program leaders). We enjoyed s’mores by the campfire, and discussed recovery and how grateful we were to be under the stars.
Day Two
Waking up to the pulse of the Kern River inspired us to head out early to see Sequoia National Park. The drive was long, but we made the best out of the situation by listening to music and bonding on our way.
We saw the landscape change from canyon to forest and mountains as we headed up the steep and windy road into the park. We drove past Moro Rock on our way in and drove to our first stop at the Lodgepole campground. We set out on a three mile hike to Tokopah Falls. The falls drop 1200 feet at the head of Tokopah Valley and empties into the Marble Fork Kaweah River. We ate lunch on the rocks, listened to the waterfall, and took in the scenic beauty.
After our hike we drove to the General Sherman Tree. The General Sherman tree is one of the tallest, widest, and longest living trees on the planet. We hiked a mile into the forest to get a glimpse of the massive tree. It is 275 feet tall and has a circumference of about 103 feet. The trees almost looked fake as we marveled at how big the sequoias were.
After that, we decided to make the long trek home and stopped in Bakersfield for some pizza. We didn’t get back to the campground until midnight, and immediately went to sleep.
Day Three
On our last morning by the Kern River, we relaxed in the water and discussed what we were grateful for and how memorable the trip had been. We had steak, green beans, and corn for lunch, and then packed up our belongings for the long ride home.
Upon arriving home we reflected on how much we bonded on the trip and how we made the best of the long drive. We were all able to get to know each other a lot better and truly appreciate the time we spent with one another.
Sequoia National Park: Adventure Therapy at Morningside Recovery
At Morningside Recovery, we believe that alternate addiction therapy services are just as crucial to rehab as traditional programs. In addition to adventure therapy, we also offer:
If you’d like to learn how you can get involved with these programs to help you on the road to recovery, call us today at 855-631-2135. Join us on our next trip to Sequoia National Park!
