Muir Woods - Ancient Redwood Forest

Enter a Peaceful World of Wonder...

Hours: 8am to sunset every day Cost: $3/person + optional donations

Not Allowed: Bicycles, Pets, Horses, Smoking, Picnics, Camping, Portable Radios

Get away from the city and relax at the redwood forest of Muir Woods, just a short drive of under an hour from downtown San Francisco, over the Golden Gate Bridge. You can enjoy a beautiful, ancient redwood forest that is truly unique for just $3 per person. The winding drive to the forest through the Marin Headland hills is truly special. Make sure to dress a little warmer for the cool, shaded, moist area.

The redwoods reach for all the sun they can get, and the forest floor tends to be cool and damp. In this photo, a small amount of light has penetrated the redwoods to reach the ground. There are 3 walks, from one-half hour to 1.5 hours, and much longer hikes if you wish. The forest park is actually paved to make it easy for wheelchairs and mothers with strollers. The longer hikes are unpaved. The 560 acre park includes six miles of paved, mostly level trails on the canyon floor. It's a much more relaxing environment than downtown San Francisco!

Stroll on Relaxing Trails...

In California, there are two different species of redwood. The coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) is what you will find in Muir Woods. Though most of old-growth coast redwoods have been logged, some are protected. You will find these protected redwoods in Redwood National and State Parks throughout Oregon and California. The forest at Muir Woods was spared because it was hard to get to.

The other specie of redwood is the giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum). These type grow larger in bulk but is less tall than the coast redwood. Giant sequoias can be seen in Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks.

Free Lectures @ Muir Woods...

The coast redwoods are the tallest living things. The Bohemian and Cathedral groves contain the biggest trees in Muir Woods---one 252 feet tall and one 14 feet wide. Most of these trees range in age of 800-1000 years old!

Muir Woods by Reilly Braun

How are these coast redwoods able to get this old? The coast redwood has been able to mature and have survived fires due to their thick bark. The bark is spongy and fibrous and can range in thickness anywhere from 6 to 12 inches. The bark acts as insulation against fire damage. The forest's long-term ecological well-being benefit from fires because it clears the floor of duff so redwood seeds can reach mineral soil.

GPS Coordinates for car directions: (37.898889, -122.583889). You can also reach Muir Woods via inexpensive public transit with a ferry from SF to Sausalito, then a bus connection-- although it could be a very time consuming day. Bus connections are usually only in the summer months, and watch out for very long lines in the weekends. Some travelers report being missed by buses on "pass-bys" when the buses are full for up to 90 minutes on busy summer weekends. Bus fare is $3 for adults and $1 for youth / seniors with buses running approximately May to September.

Limousine Tours To Muir Woods