Your driving instructor definitely skipped this part.
Normally, when a tree is directly in front of the car, you turn.
Here, you keep going.
A living coast redwood in California has had a passage cut through its trunk since the 1930s, which means your next road-trip obstacle is also the road.
The funniest part is sizing it up from behind the wheel.
That opening does not look very generous.
Smaller cars may fit. Bigger vehicles may have to admit defeat and park nearby.
No shame in that.
You can still walk over and appreciate just how strange the whole setup is.
Because redwoods are already impressive enough when you stand beside them.
Putting the car in one?
That feels like breaking a rule nobody thought they needed to write.
A Towering Redwood Rises Above Northern California
Tilt your head back, then take a few steps away from the trunk. The Chandelier Tree belongs to the coast redwood species, which produces some of the tallest living trees on Earth. Even from the parking area, its trunk rises well beyond the height of an ordinary building.
You may encounter an old figure of 315 feet for this tree. That was the traditional height estimate, although the method used to reach it is uncertain. A later measurement placed the tree at about 276 feet.
Either way, it is an impressive redwood, and its sheer size is easier to appreciate from the ground than through a windshield.
For a photograph that shows its scale, stand far enough back to include more of the trunk and a person or parked car for comparison.
Bring a layer for a shady forest stop, and give yourself a moment outside the car before heading to the tunnel.
Carving A Road Through Wood Back In 1937
The tunnel began as a roadside attraction in 1937. Charlie and Hazel Underwood’s family had operated the grove since 1922, and the opening offered motorists a way to pass through a living redwood instead of merely parking beside one.
Workers cut the passage through the massive trunk, creating a route that cars of the era could use. Historic photographs show early automobiles making their way through, and the park has kept that unusual travel tradition alive through changing generations of vehicles.
The tree remains living and growing despite the opening. Much of a redwood’s water transport and growth activity takes place in living tissues near the outer part of the trunk, rather than in the older wood at its center.
Today’s visit offers a chance to see the tunnel’s interior surfaces at close range. When no vehicle is passing through, look at the shape of the opening from a safe position and notice how much solid trunk remains around it.
You can also compare the historic idea with modern motoring. A narrow roadster and a tall vehicle fitted with a cargo box have very different clearance needs, so the drive-through part of the experience calls for more planning than the original postcard might suggest.
An Ancient Redwood With An Age That’s Hard To Pin Down
Long before Highway 101 brought road trippers through Northern California, this redwood was growing beside other trees in the grove. Its age has attracted attention for decades, but there isn’t a reliable birthday to put on a sign.
One traditional estimate places the Chandelier Tree at roughly 2,400 years old. A historical assessment using growth rings exposed near the tunnel suggested a much younger age, measured in hundreds rather than thousands of years.
With estimates so far apart, it’s better to enjoy the tree’s long life without attaching a precise number to it.
The trunk offers plenty to examine at ground level. Look at the ridges in its thick, fibrous bark and the broad circle of wood surrounding the drive-through opening.
The tunnel cuts through part of the trunk, while living tissues nearer the outside continue supporting the tree.
Coast redwoods can survive for many centuries, aided in part by their substantial bark. Even so, living trees remain vulnerable to storms, fire, changing conditions, and damage from people.
If you’re exploring on foot, stay within the permitted areas and leave the bark undisturbed. There’s no need to touch or remove anything to appreciate a tree that has stood through so many changes to the surrounding forest.
Squeezing Your Car Through A Six-Foot Gap
Here’s the practical question: will your car actually fit? The tunnel is commonly described as about six feet wide and six feet nine inches high, leaving less room than a standard road lane.
Its dimensions can shift slightly with moisture and other conditions because the tree remains alive.
Check the full width of your vehicle, including mirrors, and its height with anything attached to the roof. Luggage carriers, roof tents, bicycles, raised suspensions, and exterior accessories can affect clearance.
Folding mirrors may help, but they don’t turn an oversized vehicle into a suitable one.
Some full-size SUVs can pass through, while others cannot. The answer depends on the particular vehicle, not simply whether its registration calls it an SUV, van, or sedan. Use the posted guidance and make the decision before entering the narrow passage.
If you’re uncertain, take the bypass into the parking area. Larger vehicles can park without trying the tunnel, and you can still walk over to see the opening and take photographs when the vehicle route is clear.
For a car that fits, approach slowly and keep enough distance from the vehicle ahead. Avoid stopping inside the tunnel longer than necessary, and never stand in the driving path to direct or photograph moving traffic.
A picture from a safe spot after parking is a better way to remember the squeeze.
Branches That Earned A Sparkling Nickname
Why call a redwood a chandelier? The answer isn’t in the opening at ground level. Look much higher, where unusually large branches extend from opposite sides of the trunk.
Those limbs begin roughly a hundred feet above the ground and resemble the arms of an enormous chandelier or candelabra. The shape gave the Chandelier Tree its distinctive name long before smartphones made roadside photographs easy to share.
To see the outline, walk back to a position where the trunk and upper branches aren’t hidden by nearby trees. A view from directly beneath the canopy may make the enormous limbs harder to distinguish, so try more than one angle without leaving permitted areas.
A pair of binoculars can be useful if you like examining the forest canopy. You may be able to pick out the contours of branches and clusters of redwood foliage far above the ground, where individual features are difficult to see unaided.
Lighting will change the view during the day. Rather than count on a particular sunbeam or a perfect photograph, give yourself a little time to find an unobstructed perspective.
Trails, Picnics, And A Peaceful Pond
The drive-through tunnel is the main attraction, but the surrounding park is more than a single stop for a photograph. This is a day-use grove with walking trails, a picnic area, and benches where you can spend additional time among the trees.
Pack lunch if you want to make the visit part of a longer road-trip break. Picnic facilities give you a place to eat before continuing along the highway. Take your rubbish with you and leave the planted and wooded areas as you found them.
Chainsaw carvings are scattered around the grove, giving you something else to look for during a walk. The property also has a pond, although its appearance and the wildlife nearby will vary with conditions and season.
Dogs are welcome but must remain on a leash. Keep them close around other guests and wildlife, and bring water if the day is warm.
Restrooms are located in a separate building by the gift shop. The shop offers souvenirs if you’d like a small reminder of the stop, but don’t count on finding a particular item without checking what is available.
Admission is charged, with arrangements that differ for passenger vehicles and people arriving by motorcycle, bicycle, or on foot. Check the current details when planning rather than relying on an old roadside price.
A Charming Slice Of Classic Roadside Americana
A redwood with a car tunnel is an unmistakably old-fashioned road-trip stop. Drive-Thru Tree Park sits near Highway 101 in Leggett, making it a possible break while traveling through Northern California’s redwood country.
The Underwood family has cared for the private grove since 1922, and the tunnel has been part of the park since 1937.
Although modern cars and highway layouts have changed, the basic choice remains familiar: drive through if your vehicle fits, or park and see the tree on foot.
The park generally opens at 8:30 a.m. and closes at dusk, weather permitting. It closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Because daylight changes throughout the year, don’t leave arrival until the very end of the afternoon without checking the schedule.
If you have limited time, allow enough for the entrance, the drive or bypass, and a photograph from a safe location.
With more time, bring lunch and explore the grounds. A drive-through visit and a forest picnic can be two very different ways to experience the same stop.
Head to 67502 Drive Thru Tree Road, Leggett, CA 95585. Before you turn in, double-check roof accessories, keep your camera handy for after you’ve parked, and remember that the tree will still be there to admire even if your car is too wide.