Where is muir woods california

All hotels in Mill Valley - Affiliate disclosure. There are many places in northern California with more impressive redwood trees, but Muir Woods is very popular receiving nearly one million visitors each year on account of its proximity to San Francisco , just 15 miles south via the Golden Gate Bridge. Named after the famous Scottish naturalist, conservationist and explorer John Muir , who visited here several times from onwards, the woods form a small part of the forested slopes of Mt Tamalpais, near the southern end of the Marin Peninsula.

The east edge of this region is quite developed, along busy US the Redwood Highway through such towns as Sausalito, Corte Madera and San Rafael, but most is still in a natural state, protected besides Muir Woods in several other parks, all part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

PDF format maps of Muir Woods National Monument, from the National Park Service: Detail map kb Area map , including the surrounding trails 96 kb Background The central feature of the small, acre national monument is a paved, level loop trail along a small stream Redwood Creek , that passes several groups of large redwood trees and has a number of information boards about life in the forest. Most of the visitors stay here only the half hour or so necessary to walk the loop, rather than take the longer paths that climb the surrounding hillsides giving a much more peaceful and intimate encounter with the trees, although above the creek the forest mostly contains other species; in general, much of the original old growth coastal redwood forest of the Marin Peninsula was felled for timber in the nineteenth century.

It was a local landowner and US Congressman, William Kent , who purchased one of the last surviving groves in , donating it to the government who designated the area as a national monument in Today, some of the trees are still large, and the place is certainly atmospheric, though the crowds detract somewhat from the experience.

South of San Francisco, the more extensive woods of the Big Basin Redwoods and nearby locations provide a better appreciation, while even more spectacular are the tall forests of the far north, principally at Redwood National Park. Douglas fir trees near the top of the Ocean View Trail. Approach Muir Woods is usually approached from the east starting at US , a few miles north of Sausalito, by driving along the famous coastal highway Route 1 which branches off westwards through Tamalpais Valley.

Get Directions. Visitor Center. Tips and Highlights. Muir Woods is extremely popular and parking is very limited. We strongly recommend taking public transportation to Muir Woods. During the peak spring and summer season, take the Muir Woods Shuttle. Although the park is open days a year, hours vary by season. Visit the National Park Service site for details. There is no cell phone service in Muir Woods ; please make prior arrangements with your taxi or rideshare service for pickup.

Consider using a private bus tour or shuttle service. Contact individual operators for the most up-to-date schedules and fares. The Visitor Center at the Muir Woods entrance has exhibits and a vast selection of literature and information on Muir Woods. A cafe and gift shop is also located near the park entrance. Many of the canyon floor trails are boardwalks and paved trails, making the paths wheelchair accessible. Muir Woods Visitor Center. The Muir Woods Visitor Center features exhibits and a vast selection of literature and information Muir Woods Parking and Shuttle Services.

Reservations for parking and seats on the Muir Woods shuttle are now required seven days a week, Muir Woods Bus Tours. Our Work. Dipsea Trail. Length 9. Meander in Marin. Difficulty Moderately Strenuous. Length 7. Length 5. Bootjack Trail. Birding Hikes Views Waterfalls Wildflowers.

Difficulty Strenuous. Length 4. Deer Park Fire Road. Difficulty Easiest. Hillside Trail. Length 1. Lost Trail. Panoramic Trail. Plevin Cut Trailhead. The acre monument preserves one of the last remaining ancient redwood forests in the Bay Area.

Some of the redwoods are nearly 1, years old and reach heights of more than feet. Named for conservationist John Muir, it was the 10th national monument to be designated under the Antiquities Act of , the first to be in proximity to a major city, and the first to consist of formerly privately-owned lands.

Today, Muir Woods National Monument is home to more than different plants and animals, including 27 species of mammals, 50 species of birds, 12 species of reptiles, and 5 species of amphibians.

Redwood Creek, the principal stream in the monument, runs clean and clear beneath the towering trees.