The base of this colossal redwood tree, which is over two thousand years old, has a hole large enough for a car to pass through.
Scattered across Northern California are some of the world’s oldest redwoods and giant sequoias, towering high into the sky like something from Tolkien’s universe.
These enormous trees can grow beyond 300 feet tall and live for more than 3,000 years. Over time, their trunks became so wide that creative locals began hollowing out sections, forming remarkable drive-through tunnels.
What makes these tunnels even more astonishing is that, despite having their bases carved out, some of these trees continue to grow and thrive.
The concept of drive-through trees dates back to 1875 when the first one was created in Tuolumne Grove, Yosemite National Park. According to Amazing Planet, it was designed to attract tourists, who paid to pass beneath the massive 2,500-year-old giant sequoia. The tree had previously been struck by lightning, cut down, and debarked.
As tourism grew, travelers in vintage cars passed through these natural marvels, and more hollowed-out trees were introduced. Visitors were charged a fee to drive through these unique tunnels.
However, due to environmental concerns, no new drive-through trees are created today. Yet, tourists can still admire the preserved specimens—relics of a bygone tourism era—in California’s national parks.
The first drive-through tree, located in Tuolumne Grove (pictured), was carved out in 1875 to attract visitors.
In Myers Flat, the Shire drive-through tree has an angled opening that reportedly formed naturally. Today, it remains standing with the help of supporting cables.
A photograph from the 1930s captures a car driving through the Wawona Tree in Yosemite National Park’s Mariposa Grove.
Drive-through trees have existed since the 1800s. An image from 1880 shows a horse-drawn cart passing through the Wawona Tree, while another from 1923 depicts a car using the same tunnel.
The Wawona Tree was an iconic attraction. On the left, an updated image shows President Theodore Roosevelt driving through its tunnel, while on the right, a man stands beneath its massive archway in 1890.
Sadly, the Wawona Tree fell in 1969 during a severe storm. It is now referred to as the Fallen Tunnel Tree.
The 2,400-year-old Chandelier Tree, named for the way its branches resemble chandeliers, remains a fascinating landmark (pictured left and right).
The success of the Tuolumne Grove tree as a tourist attraction inspired others to create similar tunnels.
An updated photograph of the Wawona Tree shows tourists waiting outside as cars pass through its tunnel one by one, continuing a tradition that has captivated visitors for generations.
