FEATURE

New exhibit commemorates ancient fallen ‘tunnel tree’

woman examining tree cookie exhibit
In Calaveras Big Trees State Park, the League and partners recently unveiled a cross section or “cookie” from a 1,223-year-old fallen giant sequoia that reveals a fascinating history of fires, drought, and injuries. Photo by Max Whittaker for Save the Redwoods League.

Enormous giant sequoia cross section reveals a fascinating history

A woman and a little girl reading an interpretive panel about the Pioneer Cabin Tree
A new interpretive panel is also next to the fallen Pioneer’s Cabin Tree. Photo by Max Whittaker for Save the Redwoods League.

In Calaveras Big Trees State Park, an enormous cross section from a 1,223-year-old fallen giant sequoia now reveals a fascinating history of fires, drought, and injuries. Save the Redwoods League, California State Parks, and Calaveras Big Trees Association opened the Pioneer’s Cabin Tree interpretive exhibit in the North Grove in July 2022, after storms toppled the tree in 2017.

In the 1880s, the former owners of the North Grove squared off a fire scar in the tree, creating tunnel that became a tourist attraction. The cross section or “cookie” and two interpretive panels are displayed at a kiosk next to the visitor’s center.

A third interpretive panel is next to the Pioneer’s Cabin Tree itself.

Click to expand.


 

Read more highlights from the Winter 2022 Resilient Future Edition online.

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Since 1918, Save the Redwoods League has protected and restored redwood forests and connected people with their peace and beauty so these wonders of the natural world flourish.

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