Drive Through These Tremendous Tunnels: Exploring the Legendary Tunnel Trees
Discover the fascinating history and enduring allure of California’s drive-through tunnel trees—icons of the redwood forests.
Drive Through These Tremendous Tunnels: The Story of California’s Tunnel Trees
California’s ancient redwoods and giant sequoias have captured the imagination of travelers for centuries. Among these majestic trees, some have become famous not just for their superlative height or age but for the tunnels carved through their trunks, allowing cars—and once, even horse-drawn carriages—to drive right through them. These drive-through tunnel trees and similar walk-through or step-through trees are at once spectacles, engineering marvels, and enduring icons of American tourism. Their story is rooted in history, shaped by changing attitudes toward conservation, and still alive today for visitors seeking a unique experience in the forests of Northern California.
The Birth of Tunnel Trees: Tourism Meets the Giants
In the late 19th century, as Americans began to travel in greater numbers and seek out natural wonders, enterprising landowners and park promoters saw an opportunity. The trunks of the giant trees were so thick and strong that it was possible to carve tunnels large enough for vehicles through them—a novel and unforgettable attraction. The first of these tunnels was created in a dead and burned giant sequoia at Tuolumne Grove in Yosemite National Park in 1875. Struck by lightning and damaged by fire, the tree was cut down, debarked, and tunneled for promotional purposes. Despite its altered state, the tree became a major draw for visitors and inspired a wave of imitators. This marked the beginning of the era of tunnel trees, with similar creations soon springing up throughout California’s forests.
- Early tunnel trees were often created from dead or dying trees, many of which had been scarred by fire or damaged by natural events.
- Tourism and photo opportunities were the driving forces behind tunneling these natural giants.
- National parks and private landowners alike participated in the creation and promotion of tunnel trees.
The Wawona Tree: A Fallen Giant’s Legacy
Arguably the most famous of all tunnel trees was the Wawona Tree, a giant sequoia in Yosemite’s Mariposa Grove. In 1881, a tunnel was carved through its trunk, allowing horse-drawn carriages — and later, automobiles — to pass through. The feature quickly became an icon of California tourism. The Wawona Tree stood proudly for nearly ninety years, but its fate was sealed by the very tunnel that made it famous: weakened structurally, the tree fell during a harsh winter in 1968-69.
| Feature | Wawona Tree |
|---|---|
| Location | Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park |
| Carved Tunnel | 1881 |
| Height at Fall | 234 feet (71.3 meters) |
| Diameter at Base | 26 feet (7.9 meters) |
| Tunnel Dimensions | 7 feet wide, 9 feet high, 26 feet long |
| Fell | 1969 |
The Wawona Tree’s fall was emblematic of a shift in attitudes toward conservation and marked the end of an era when creating such tunnels was considered acceptable. Today, the tree is remembered fondly and continues to symbolize California’s unique intersection of nature and tourism.
Surviving Tunnel Trees: Icons of California
Though many original tunnel trees have been lost to time and nature, several still stand today—some thriving, others barely alive but maintained for their historical significance. Here are the most prominent surviving drive-through tunnel trees you can experience:
- Chandelier Tree (Leggett)
This majestic coast redwood was tunneled in the late 1930s and remains healthy to this day, putting out new growth every year. It is one of the few tunnel trees still open to vehicles, making it a popular destination for visitors and photographers. - Tunnel Log (Sequoia National Park)
Unlike its predecessors, the Tunnel Log was created as a result of a naturally fallen giant sequoia in 1937. The log was tunneled the following year and is now a famous spot along Crescent Meadow Road in the Giant Forest. Vehicles can still drive through the tunnel, which measures 17 feet wide and 8 feet high. There’s also a bypass for taller vehicles. - Shrine Tree (near Humboldt Redwoods State Park)
Not as robust as its peers, the Shrine Tree is still standing but is barely alive. Its tunnel remains accessible, yet it serves more as a reminder of bygone practices than as a living marvel. - Tour-Thru Tree (Klamath)
The latest addition to the list, this tunnel tree was created in the 1970s. Situated near the Klamath River off Highway 101, the tree continues to attract passing travelers seeking the quirky charm of driving through an ancient trunk.
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Environmental Impact and Changing Perspectives
While tunnel trees were initially celebrated for their novelty and ability to attract visitors, the practice of carving tunnels raised significant concerns over the long-term health and survival of these ancient giants. It’s now clear that cutting large holes through the trunks of living trees can compromise their structural integrity, increase susceptibility to disease, and make them vulnerable to collapse. Many original tunnel trees have succumbed to these risks over the decades.
However, not all tunnel trees were killed by their tunnels. Some, particularly those already fire-scarred or damaged, required minimal cutting and, against all odds, have survived for decades—even centuries. The coast redwoods and giant sequoias are remarkably resilient, capable of withstanding injuries that would kill lesser trees. Still, the National Park Service, California State Parks, and environmental groups no longer condone the creation of new tunnel trees. Conservation priorities have shifted from showcasing individual wonders to preserving the ecological integrity of the entire forest.
- Modern conservation values prioritize allowing nature to run its course, with minimal human interference.
- Tunnel trees are now preserved as historical curiosities rather than celebrated as new attractions.
- Creation of new tunnel trees on public lands is strictly forbidden.
Marketing, Legacy, and the American Road Trip
The tunnel trees of California are more than just tourist attractions—they are artifacts of a unique period in American history, when boosterism and spectacle were central to promoting natural parks and landmarks. The chance to steer a car or wagon through a living giant was a rite of passage for early road trippers and a staple of family photo albums.
Private landowners, especially in the early-to-mid 20th century, used tunnel trees as a way to attract business and distinguish their properties. As the automobile became indispensable, so too did roadside attractions, and the tunnel tree was among the most captivating—reminiscent of a simpler time and the burgeoning American love affair with freedom and travel.
- Tunnel trees symbolize an era of roadside Americana.
- Their existence reflects the evolution of attitudes toward nature—from exploitation for spectacle to appreciation for preservation.
Other Famous Tree Tunnels
The concept of a tunnel formed by trees exists far beyond California’s redwoods and sequoias. Picturesque lanes lined by live oaks, beeches, cypresses, and other species can be found across the world, often forming natural canopies that create the illusion of driving through a living tunnel. Some renowned examples include:
- The Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland, made famous as a filming location in “Game of Thrones.”
- Wormsloe Avenue of Oaks in Savannah, Georgia, where more than 400 oaks draped in Spanish moss create an enchanting passage.
- Cypress Tree Tunnel in Point Reyes National Seashore, California—a favorite among photographers for its ethereal symmetry and wildlife.
Though these tunnels are not car-sized openings in individual trees, they share the sense of wonder and tranquility that comes from passing beneath nature’s grand arches.
Visiting Tunnel Trees: What to Expect
If you plan to visit a surviving tunnel tree, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Many tunnel trees are located on private property. Entrance fees may be charged by the owners for maintenance and preservation.
- State and national parks guard their remaining tunnel trees carefully, ensuring visitor safety and preservation of the trees.
- Photos and memories from these sites often evoke nostalgia for generations of visitors.
- Check vehicle size restrictions—some tunnels are too small for RVs or large trucks.
Be respectful of posted signs and guidelines. These trees are living monuments—fragile, ancient, and deserving of protection. Enjoy the novelty, but remember that such practices are a thing of the past, a chapter in the larger story of American conservation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Tunnel Trees
Q: Can you still drive through tunnel trees in California?
A: Yes, you can still drive through a few surviving tunnel trees, including the Chandelier Tree in Leggett and Tunnel Log in Sequoia National Park. However, most of these attractions are carefully protected, and new tunnels are no longer created.
Q: Why don’t they make new tunnel trees today?
A: Conservation values have dramatically shifted. Cutting tunnels through living trees is now considered harmful to their health and longevity. Modern preservation focuses on protecting the entire ecosystem, not just creating unique attractions.
Q: Are tunnel trees bad for the environment?
A: While tunnel trees provided memorable experiences for visitors, carving tunnels can weaken trees, increase their susceptibility to disease, and hasten their demise. Surviving tunnel trees are now historic artifacts, and conservationists discourage creating new ones.
Q: Which tunnel tree is the largest and most famous?
A: The Wawona Tree was the most famous and among the largest, standing over 234 feet tall and 26 feet in diameter before it fell in 1969. The Chandelier Tree is the most visited today and remains healthy.
Q: Are there tree tunnels outside California?
A: Yes! Tree-lined road tunnels exist worldwide, from the live oaks in Georgia to the beeches of Northern Ireland’s Dark Hedges, offering natural beauty and tranquility under leafy canopies.
Final Reflections: Preserving Nature’s Wonders
The tunnel trees of California are symbols of a bygone era—fascinating links to generations of travelers who marveled at the improbable sight of cars passing through ancient trunks. As icons of the redwood and sequoia forests, they remind us simultaneously of the joy of discovery and the need for stewardship. Today’s visitors can still experience the magic of driving through or photographing these legendary trees, but they do so with a greater appreciation for their fragility, resilience, and the evolving efforts to protect America’s greatest natural treasures.
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