Entry No. 13 — the Sacramento file — filed under: folk art
Toad Hollow
When a new six-lane overpass cut Davis's toads off from their wetlands in the mid-1990s, the city spent about $14,000 building them a literal escape route: a six-inch pipe under Pole Line Road flanked by three tiny hand-painted buildings — a toad hotel, a bar called "Toadwerks" (named for the real Sudwerks brewery next door), and a toad outhouse, with cartoon toads visible in the windows.
The story
In the mid-1990s, the city of Davis constructed a six-lane overpass at Pole Line Road and immediately ran into a biological conflict of interest: the new road cut directly between the local toad population and their wetlands. Faced with the prospect of squished amphibians on a six-lane thoroughfare, municipal planners allocated roughly $14,000 to construct a subterranean escape route: a six-inch pipe running beneath the asphalt.
Because this is Davis, they didn't just lay a drainpipe and walk away. At the tunnel's entrance, craftsmen erected a miniature strip of hand-painted wooden buildings for the migrating commuters. The micro-village includes a toad hotel, a miniature outhouse, and a bar named "Toadwerks"—a direct nod to the real Sudwerks brewery located right next door. If you look closely at the tiny windows, cartoon toads are painted inside, waiting out the traffic above.
What it's like
Do not set your GPS for 'Toad Hollow Dog Park'—that's an off-leash dog run a few blocks away at 1919 Second Street. For the toad tunnel, park near the Davis Post Office at 2020 Fifth Street, head toward the base of the Pole Line Road overpass, and look below the small green, solar-paneled structures. It is a three-minute, blink-and-you'll-miss-it roadside stop. Once you've inspected the hand-painted windows, walk right over to the actual Sudwerks for the beer its miniature counterpart was named after.
The move: It's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it stop — park near the post office, find the pipe entrance below the little green, solar-paneled buildings, then walk over to the actual Sudwerks for the beer the tunnel's fictional bar is named after.
- 📍 Davis
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 2020 Fifth Street, Davis, CA 95616 (adjacent to the Davis Post Office, at the Pole Line Road overpass)
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Port of Call: Earth (the "Alien Tourist Trailer") — Pair Davis's municipal amphibian infrastructure with a recycled aluminum alien trailer parked in a Sacramento playground.
- Botanica Shango — Stop by this West Sacramento botanica on West Capitol Avenue as you drive back into the city from Davis.
- Verge Center for the Arts — Trade a miniature folk-art escape route for experimental, non-commercial installation art in a converted Southside Park warehouse.
Good to know
Where is the toad tunnel located?
It sits at 2020 Fifth Street in Davis, right adjacent to the Davis Post Office and directly at the base of the Pole Line Road overpass.
Is Toad Hollow the same place as Toad Hollow Dog Park?
No. The dog park is a separate off-leash area at 1919 Second Street. The toad tunnel micro-village is at 2020 Fifth Street.
What buildings are in the miniature toad town?
The setup features three small hand-painted structures: a toad hotel, an outhouse, and a micro-bar called Toadwerks, with cartoon toads painted inside the windows.
How much did the city spend on the tunnel?
The city spent approximately $14,000 in the mid-1990s to build the six-inch pipe underpass and miniature buildings.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Roadside America · weirdca.com · Only In Your State · localwiki.org · californiathroughmylens.com
last checked: 2026-07-20