Muir Woods National Monument

Muir Woods National Monument is filled with glorious Coastal Redwoods and is perfect for exploring. I published a post last May titled California Dreaming, which highlighted multiple national parks on our trip. This post is an expansion of that to highlight Muir Woods specifically. Through this more detailed post, I hope to give you all the info you’ll need to make a trip of your own to Muir Woods.

We visited Muir Woods in December 2019 as part of our larger California adventure. The goal of the trip was to see as many national parks or protected areas as possible, so it felt essential to see Muir Woods while we were in Northern California. This protected area is an easy day trip from many locations around the Bay Area.

Muir Woods Basics

The old growth coastal redwoods in Muir Woods will easily enchant you. The park is located in the middle of the redwood range from the California-Oregon border all the way down to Big Sur. There are many different types of plants, animals and birds within it that are all worth exploring. However, the giant coastal redwoods found throughout really steal the show. The climate in the coastal redwood forest is usually cool and dry during the summer and wet in winter months.

Muir Woods requires you to purchase a parking permit prior to arrival. I booked our parking pass a few months out to be safe. When reserving, you chose a 30 minute window to arrive. I would recommend getting your parking pass as soon as possible once you know your trip dates. Additionally, you can book shuttle passes and your entrance ticket to the park through the same company.

To enter you will need to pay the entrance fee, which is separate from parking. You can also enter using your America the Beautiful pass. This is what we did.

Getting There and Away

Muir Woods is located in the San Francisco Bay Area in the city of Mill Valley. The park can be accessed via car from most areas, as well as by shuttle bus from Sausalito, Marin City and the Pohono Park and Ride. Due to it’s popularity, you will need to book your shuttle and parking reservation ahead of time at gomuirwoods.com.

What to Do

Go on a Hike!

The most obvious and fun thing to do in Muir Woods is to walk around the trails and view the beautiful coastal redwoods. There are a few easy trails from the park entrance that range in time and distance. According to the park page, there are three loops, each one a half hour longer than the next for a total of 6 miles and one and a half hours.

Trails within the park are well marked and follow along the redwood giants. If you would like to hike for longer, there are options to break out to adjoining trails that offer a birds eye views of the area. Plan to bring some snacks and spend half a day hiking around and breathing in the fresh air.

What Next?

If you want ideas for outdoor places to visit, read my other posts to see what adventures await nearby. If you are in California, I highly recommend you make Joshua Tree National Park and Yosemite National Park part of your trip. I also recommend reading my posts about the beautiful state of New Mexico, the Grand Canyon or about Rocky Mountain National Park.