A wreath will be placed at the base of the Nation's Christmas Tree on December 14 to honor the men and women who served in the Armed Forces/NPS

With year's end quickly approaching, don't let it pass by without making the annual "Trek to the Tree" at Kings Canyon National Park to watch as rangers lay a wreath at the bottom of the Nation's Christmas Tree.

This year's trek is the 89th annual. It will be held on December 14 from 2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Sponsored by the Sanger District Chamber of Commerce in cooperation with the National Park Service, the event will include the Jubilation Singers, Sanger High School Choir, Fresno Tuba Christmas Ensemble, and a non-denominational holiday message. During the ceremony, a National Park Service representative will speak about the General Grant Tree'™s role as a national shrine in memory of the men and women of the Armed Forces who have served, fought, and died to keep America free. A memorial wreath will be placed at the base of the General Grant Tree.

The ceremony will be held at the General Grant Tree, a quarter-mile walk from an adjacent parking lot. Given limited parking at the grove, a free shuttle service will be available from the Kings Canyon Visitor Center parking area to the Grant Tree Trail. Allow an extra 30 minutes to use this in-park shuttle service. Access through the entrance to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks will be free on December 14 to allow park visitors to experience the celebration of the Nation'™s Christmas Tree. In addition, chartered buses to the park from Sanger, California, may be available with a fee and by reservation at 559-875-4575.

Walking surfaces may be slippery and snowy. Travelers should provide additional time to accommodate for weather conditions. Drivers must bring and be prepared to use tire chains or cables, if required. For weather and road condition information, call 559-565-3341 and press 1.