Stretching across the northern regions of California, you’ll find some of the world’s most ancient redwoods and giant sequoias, towering like sentinels in a scene reminiscent of Tolkien’s mythical world. These colossal trees can reach staggering heights of up to 300 feet and boast lifespans that can span over 3,000 years. Due to their remarkable size, locals have ingeniously harnessed them by creating incredible drive-through trees, carving tunnels through their trunks without harming their growth or vitality.
The concept of drive-through trees dates back to 1875 when the very first one was fashioned in Yosemite National Park at Tuolumne Grove. This innovative creation was born out of a desire to boost tourism, and visitors were charged to traverse the tree’s hollowed center. The inaugural drive-through tree was carved from a 2,500-year-old giant sequoia that had fallen victim to a lightning strike. It was later felled, and its bark removed. Over time, more of these remarkable tunnel trees emerged, and tourists in their vintage automobiles gladly paid for the privilege of passing through. However, environmental concerns have led to the cessation of carving new drive-through trees. Nonetheless, these preserved wonders still stand in California’s national parks, serving as relics of a bygone era of tourism.
The Tuolumne Grove at Yosemite National Park was a pioneer in the drive-through tree phenomenon, introducing the first one in 1875 to entice tourists.
One of these remarkable drive-through trees, known as the Shire Tree in Myers Flat, features a naturally angled opening now supported by cables.
Photographed in the 1930s, an image captures a vehicle smoothly traversing the Wawona tree in Mariposa Grove of Yosemite National Park.
For over a century, these drive-through trees have beckoned tourists. An intriguing historical photograph from 1880 showcases a horse-drawn cart passing through the Wawona tree. In contrast, a 1923 photo portrays a car elegantly gliding through the same arboreal tunnel.
The Wawona tree was a renowned natural wonder, with even President Theodore Roosevelt driving through its tunnel, as seen in a retouched photo on the left. On the right, an image from 1890 shows a man standing beneath the massive tree tunnel.
Sadly, the Fallen Tunnel Tree, once known as the Wawona Tree, succumbed to a powerful storm in 1969, as evident in updated photos on the left and right.
Nestled in Leggett, just over 180 miles north of the San Francisco Bay Area, stands the Chandelier Tree, privately owned within a grove. This majestic tree boasts a massive tunnel carved through its trunk, a feat accomplished back in 1937.
Named the Chandelier Tree for the belief that its branches dangle like chandeliers, this approximately 2,400-year-old tree is depicted in images on the left and right.
The Tuolumne Grove’s drive-through tree has garnered popularity among tourists, inspiring other entrepreneurs to create similar tunnel trees.
In a recent image of the Wawona tree, a group of curious tourists gathers around, eagerly awaiting their turn to journey through the tunnel carved into its colossal trunk. Each car ventures through, creating a unique and unforgettable experience for all who partake in this natural wonder.
