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Wawona Tunnel Tree, August 1962. The Wawona Tree, also known as the Wawona Tunnel Tree, was a famous giant sequoia that stood in Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park, California, United States, until February 1969. It had a height of 227 feet (69 m) and was 26 feet (7.9 m) in diameter at the base. [2] The origin of the word Wawona is not known.
The Wawona Tunnel Tree, a Giant Sequoia carved to allow stagecoaches to pass through, became a major tourist attraction for the Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Company. Images of the tree not only drew widespread attention but also boosted the Wawona route's popularity, giving it a distinct advantage in a crowded and competitive market.
The Chandelier Tree, also known as the Drive-Thru Tree, is a 315-foot-tall coast redwood located in Leggett, California. Carved in 1937, its 6-foot-wide tunnel allows vehicles to pass through, making it a popular roadside attraction at the privately owned Drive-Thru Tree Park. [6] Shrine Drive-Thru Tree: Myers Flat: Sequoia sempervirens
State Route 41/Wawona Road intersects with Southside Drive just east of the split. SR 140 is part of the California Freeway and Expressway System , [ 3 ] and is part of the National Highway System , [ 4 ] a network of highways that are considered essential to the country's economy, defense, and mobility by the Federal Highway Administration . [ 5 ]
The highway continues as Wawona Road north to Wawona and Yosemite West before turning east to pass through Wawona Tunnel. Tunnel View is a viewpoint located just outside the east end of the Wawona Tunnel, and provides the first view of Yosemite Valley. The route then continues into Yosemite Valley where it terminates at SR 140/Southside Drive.
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Initially, the Yosemite Stage and Turnpike Company created the tunnel as an alternate route for tourists when snow obstructed access to the Wawona Tree. It functioned as a drive-thru attraction until 1932, when the National Park Service redirected the Mariposa Grove Road and converted the path through the tree into a footpath. [34] [33] 232 [35]
The large viewpoint area is located directly east of the Wawona Tunnel portal, as one enters Yosemite Valley from points south. [1] The view looks eastward into Yosemite Valley, and includes surrounding features, such as the southwest face of El Capitan on the left, Half Dome on axis, and Bridalveil Fall on the right.