Can you still drive a car through a sequoia tree?

Located in the Giant Forest surrounded by mature giant sequoia trees, tunnel log fell across the road nearly a century ago. National park visitors and tourists can come drive their vehicles through this fallen giant sequoia. This is a must stop spot inside the park.



You cannot drive a car through a living Sequoia tree in a National Park, as this is now considered environmentally damaging. However, you can still drive through the "Tunnel Log" in Sequoia National Park. This is a massive Giant Sequoia that fell across the road due to natural causes in 1937; a tunnel 17 feet wide and 8 feet high was carved into the trunk to allow vehicles to pass through. It is a very popular photo spot and remains open to the public during the summer months. There are also a few privately owned "drive-through" trees in Northern California—specifically Coast Redwoods, which are taller and more slender than Sequoias. These include the Chandelier Tree in Leggett, the Shrine Drive-Thru Tree in Myers Flat, and the Tour Thru Tree in Klamath. While these are popular tourist attractions, conservationists emphasize that these modifications are relics of an older era of tourism and that modern forest management focuses on preserving the trees in their natural, unaltered state.

People Also Ask

A powerful winter storm in California has brought down an ancient tree, carved into a living tunnel more than a century ago. The Pioneer Cabin Tree, a sequoia in Calaveras Big Trees State Park, saw horses and cars pass through it over the years.

MORE DETAILS

The Wawona Tunnel Tree was one of the most popular until it fell down in 1969. The Pioneer's Cabin Tree in what would become Calaveras Big Trees State Park was the third tunnel tree. This tree fell down in a storm in 2017.

MORE DETAILS

Sequoia & Kings Canyon – 75 deaths There were 25 fatal falls between 2010-2020 and 13 drownings.

MORE DETAILS

At Sequoia National Park, you cannot sleep in your car while parked outside of designated campgrounds. However, if you have a reservation at one of the park's campgrounds, you may sleep in your car within your assigned campsite. There are several campgrounds within the park where you can reserve a spot for car camping.

MORE DETAILS

Visit the Parker Group Sequoias This is a group of giant sequoia trees that are huddled close to each other. We were thrilled to get up and close to some of the largest Sequoia trees. Unlike the General Sherman Tree, which is fenced off, one can walk up close to these trees and even touch them.

MORE DETAILS

No reservations are required to enter Sequoia and Kings Canyon. Advance purchasing of entrance fees is not available for Commercial Vehicles.

MORE DETAILS

Two people survive plunge off the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park.

MORE DETAILS

Whitebark pine, Western juniper and Douglas-fir can live more than 1,000 years while giant sequoias can live more than 3,000 years. Giant sequoias are the third longest-lived tree species with the oldest known specimen to have been 3,266 years old in the Converse Basin Grove of Giant Sequoia National Monument.

MORE DETAILS

As of Sunday, the tree remained safe, thanks to the efforts of hundreds of firefighters, officials say. Firefighters battling a major wildfire in Sequoia National Park had some good news to report on Sunday: General Sherman — the giant sequoia and one of the largest living trees in the world — is still standing.

MORE DETAILS

The two giant sequoia drive-through trees have both fallen: Wawona Tree, in Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park, fell in 1969. Pioneer Cabin Tree, in Calaveras Big Trees State Park, fell in 2017.

MORE DETAILS