Shrine Drive-Thru Tree

The Shrine Drive Thru Tree has been attracting visitors for years. Located in Myers Flat, four miles south of the Humboldt Redwoods State Park Visitor Center, it's an easy stop right on the Avenue of the Giants -- just look for the signs and the Gift Shop. There is a minimal fee to drive through the tree. Kids also like the two 2-story tree houses and the children's walk-through stump. "During the early 1920s, promoters of California’s tourism industry devised a clever way to entice visitors to see the captivating beauty of the redwood forests—cut a tunnel through a redwood and charge people a fee to drive their cars through to the other side. It was a great photo opportunity that quickly caught on. In time, there were drive-thru trees, drive-on trees, walk-through trees and even step-thru stumps. Three trees with open trunks remain, one near Humboldt Redwoods State Park on Hwy 101. All are privately owned, charge a nominal entrance fee and are open daily year-round."