Posted in Northern California Explore, Sights & Landmarks March 16, 2023 by

You Can Drive Through A Tunnel Created In The Side Of This Fallen Tree In Sequoia National Park

It’s awe-inspiring to see massive redwood trees up close and it’s even cooler to drive through one. The Tunnel Log is a fallen giant sequoia with a tunnel carved right in the middle for cars to drive through. If you’re driving to the Yosemite area, this tree tunnel in Sequoia National Park is definitely worth a stop!

The Tunnel Log is located in the Giant Forest, inside Sequoia National Park. Laying right across the road, this massive fallen giant is a sight to see!
Andy Cui/Google Images
This giant sequoia fell in 1937 due to natural causes. A year after the tree fell, an 8-by-17-foot-wide tunnel was carved to make the road passable.
As the forest’s name alludes, the tree is a giant. The tree was 275 feet tall when it was standing, and is 21 feet in diameter!
Pavel Subert/Google Images
Not all cars are able to pass through the tree, but if your vehicle isn’t able to fit, you can walk through the tunnel. It’s estimated that when the tree fell it was more than 2,000 years old.
The Giant Forest is at an elevation of 6,990 feet and is around 1,880 acres. There are several other incredible, must-see trees within this forest.
Oliver Grandlund/Google Images
This is also the home of the largest known living single-stem tree on earth, a giant sequoia named General Sherman. General Sherman is estimated to be 2,200 to 2,700 years old. General Sherman is about a 10-minute drive from Tunnel Log.
There actually used to be several drive-through trees in this area, but over the decades they fell. The Pioneer Cabin Tree was a popular drive-through tree until it fell in 2017 after a powerful storm.
Alan Lewis/Google Images
Before that, the Wawona Tree was a popular attraction. A tunnel was carved into the giant sequoia in 1881 and it remained a tourist attraction until it fell in 1969.
Driving through massive trees is a thing in California. There are actually several trees in California that you can drive or walk through.
Yasuo Itomi/Google Images
Going north on Highway 101, there are many coastal redwood forests. You’ll find three drive-thru trees on the "Avenue of the Giants". There is the Shrine Drive-Thru Tree, Klamath Tour Thru Tree, and the Chandelier Tree.
Learn more about the incredible giant sequoias by touring the Giant Sequoia Museum.
Joseph LAURENT/Google Images
The museum is open daily during the summer months. Entry is free.

As of March 2023, there is a lot of flooding in the towns near Yosemite. Be sure to check the weather and road conditions before you go.

Have you ever driven through a tree tunnel in Sequoia National Park? Do the drive-through trees in California interest you? Which ones have you visited? Tell us in the comments.

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Address: Sequoia National Park's Tunnel Log, Crescent Meadow Rd, Sequoia National Park, CA 93262, USA