Muir Woods National Monument

Description

Muir Woods National Monument, usually referred to simply as "Muir Woods", is a 554 acre stretch of old-growth redwood forest.  It is one of the last such in the immediate San Francisco area.

Muir Woods has a number of hiking trails, including marked 1/2 hour, 1 hour, and 1 1/2 hour routes.  There is also a Visitor Center with a gift shop, exhibits, and a deli.  Many of the hiking trails are paved, and some are wheelchair accessible.  Currently, bicycles are not permitted on the hiking trails.  As with most wildlife areas, the specific trails that are open at any time can vary from season to season, so check the Muir Woods web site for current information.

As you might expect, being surrounded by 300 foot tall trees tends to cut down on the amount of sunlight reaching the ground.  Also, the trees hold the moisture from the frequent fogs.  As a result, it is usually cool and damp in the woods, even if it's hot and dry everywhere else.  A jacket is usually a good idea.

There are no camping sites inside Muir Woods, and camping there is not permitted.  Picnicking is also prohibited.  However, a number of nearby areas have sites for camping and/or picnicking.

Parking space is very limited, and tends to fill quickly.  Get there early if you want to be sure of finding a spot.  However, there is a dedicated shuttle connecting the town of Marin City (a few miles away) with Muir Woods.

Muir Woods is not phyiscally adjacent or otherwise connected to Muir Beach and the Muir Beach Overlook.  They are separated by several miles, and they aren't related.  If you buy an annual pass to Muir Woods, you don't get any benefits at Muir Beach.  (Then again, admission to Muir Beach is free.)  However, they are all part of the Golden Gate Recreational Area, and are administered by the same organization.  (In turn, the Golden Gate National Recreation Area is not related to Golden Gate Park, which is a city park in San Francisco.)

Muir Woods is named for John Muir, a naturalist and conservationist in the 19th and early 20th centuries.  If you've seen a California state quarter (minted in 2005) he's the fellow on the back.  (The mountain in the background is Half Dome in Yosemite.) 

Muir Woods is located about 12 miles north of San Francisco.

Main Web Site

http://www.nps.gov/muwo

Location

If anyone has an address or a precise location, please add it. In the meantime, to get to Muir Woods, take highway 101 north through San Francisco and across the Golden Gate Bridge. Exit on highway 1, and take highway 1 west.  When you get to the entrance of Muir Woods Road take it, and follow it north until you reach the parking lot.

Drive Time

from Ames to the main Muir Woods parking lot (per Google maps):   1 hour and 11 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes, depending on traffic

The lot is shown on the Google Map.

Public Transit

There is a dedicated shuttle that runs to Muir Woods.  The shuttle runs on weekends and holidays only, and operates from early May until late September.  Actual dates vary year to year; in 2008, the shuttle runs until September 30.  The first bus leaves Marin City (a few miles north of the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge) at 9:30 AM, after which shuttles depart every 20 minutes throughout the day.

http://goldengate.org/news/transit/muirwoods.php

Hours

The park opens every day at 8 AM and closes at sunset.  Approximate closing hours (from the website) are:

Last Sunday of January:  6 PM

Second Sunday of March:  8 PM

Third Sunday of September:  7 PM

Second Sunday of October:  6 PM

First Sunday of November:  5 PM

Cost

adults $5

children (under age 15) FREE

annual pass $20