Discover Muir Woods: San Francisco's Natural Gem

Muir Woods National Monument | Introduction

Muir Woods National Monument is a forest park located in the suburbs north of San Francisco, home to giant California redwood forests with beautiful scenery suitable for all ages. If you frequently visit national parks in the United States, you might be familiar with the name John Muir. He was a lifelong nature enthusiast and played a significant role in the establishment of many national parks in the U.S. Muir Woods is named after him. However, the actual location of Muir Woods was initially bought by a man named William Kent to protect this vast area of ancient redwoods. He later donated the land to the government and requested it be named Muir Woods.

If you depart from San Francisco, it takes about half an hour to get there without traffic, making it a popular destination for many tourists visiting San Francisco. If you go in the afternoon, you can also pass by the Golden Gate Bridge to enjoy the night view or go to Sausalito for seafood in the evening. The area of Muir Woods National Monument is not very large; if you only walk the main flat trails, half a day is more than enough.

Muir Woods National Monument | Tickets

The visitor center at the entrance sells tickets, which are $15 per person, and you can use the America the Beautiful national parks pass.

Muir Woods National Monument | Transportation

Since there is no mobile reception within Muir Woods National Monument, using Uber and similar services is relatively difficult. The more convenient ways to get to Muir Woods are by driving yourself, taking public transportation, or joining a local tour.

If you drive, note that due to the high number of visitors, parking is regulated. Currently, if you drive yourself, you must reserve a parking spot online in advance at Reserve Muir Woods Parking. The reservation fee for a regular car is $9. Another transportation option is taking a shuttle from Pohono Park and Ride, Sausalito, or Marin. On our first visit, we didn’t know about the parking reservation, and we couldn’t get in. Even with a parking reservation, spaces are limited, and how far you have to park depends on your luck.

For public transportation, you can take the Golden Gate Transit bus from San Francisco to Sausalito, then transfer to the Shuttle Bus to get to Muir Woods. If you want to save time and can’t drive yourself, joining a half-day tour is also a good option.

Muir Woods National Monument | Attractions

In Muir Woods, you can see many giant redwoods, similar to those in Redwood National Park, growing along the California coast. These trees are characterized by their great height, with the tallest ones exceeding 252 feet, and some are over a thousand years old. Near the entrance trails, you can see cross-sectional rings that indicate the age of the redwoods.

The scenery along the trails in Muir Woods is quite consistent, primarily showcasing the redwood forest. Don’t think it looks monotonous; walking among these towering redwoods makes one feel marvelously small. The entire trail is shaded by trees, making it feel cool even in summer.

On the trails, you’ll often see redwoods growing in a circle. Many of these are actually connected by their roots underground.

Most visitors stick to the main flat, paved trail in the center, which is 2 miles long and can be leisurely completed in about two hours. Along the way, you’ll pass by some of the most famous redwoods, such as the Pinchot Tree, Cathedral Grove, and Bohemian Grove, all marked by signs along the trail.

If you only walk the flattest trail, there are four bridges, named Bridge 1, Bridge 2, Bridge 3, and Bridge 4. You can decide how far to walk based on your stamina, and these bridges make it convenient to loop back to the starting point. Some people, with limited time, might turn back at Bridge 2.

For those with more stamina, there are several other trails to explore. For instance, the Ocean View Trail connects to the Canopy View Trail, Lost Trail, and Fern Creek Trail, adding 2.7 miles of hilly terrain and offering different scenery. However, if your main goal is to see the redwoods, the lower trail will suffice.

We walked the latter part, then turned onto the Fern Creek Trail and took the Camp Eastwood Trail before looping back. After leaving the main trail, there were significantly fewer people. If you’re seeking a tranquil and sacred atmosphere and have the stamina, exploring the upper trails is also quite nice. Completing the loop slowly takes about half a day.

Further reading

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