Muir Woods N. M., San Francisco

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Easily accessible from San Francisco, Muir Woods National Monument is the place to go to see giant redwood trees. You will be amazed by the height of these trees, which can grow to more than 100 meters. There are several excellent hiking trails within the park. This place makes a great half-day trip from San Francisco. From the city by car, cross the Golden Gate Bridge, then exit to California Highway 1 North. This road is very winding, but you only have to drive like this for a few miles before reaching the destination. Follow signs to the park.

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Muir Woods makes an excellent day trip. Located just 12 short miles of San Francisco, you'll be greeted with a wonderful acient coast of majestic redwoods.

For all those natures buffs, this is a must!! The park has some really nice easy to moderate trails along some wonderful wooded areas.

Open from 8 am to sunset with a $5 entrance fee. Parking is somewhat limited, so get here early.

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Spent a couple of hours there and enjoyed the place. Wish it was less crowded though. I am sure walking in piece and quiet among the huge redwood trees would of been amazing.

FEE: $5 per person.

ADVICE: Come early. Otherwise the place will be packed and the parking lot will be full. We came around noon on a weekend and ended up parking way down the road and had to walk back to the park gates for 15 minutes each way.

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Near Mt Tamalpais is Muir Woods. From San Francisco, it's the nearest place to find the majestic coastal redwoods, the world's tallest trees. It's an outstanding place to hike. After a few days in the big city, Muir Woods offers a respite from the crowds, the traffic, and the noise.

Some hiking trails lead uphill, to provide an excellent view of the coast and San Francisco Bay. This is a mere warmup compared to the view from Mt Tam. I recommend visiting both Muir Woods and Mt Tam together.

The address is:

Muir Woods National Monument
Mill Valley, California 94941-2696

Muir woods is worth a look a short walk around the trails & a look at the red woods it is very peacefull and quiet up in the muir woods.It has a small gift shop which sells various trees you can take home with you and plant in your own back garden.

Located a mere 12 miles north of San Francisco, this tract of old growth redwood trees offers a glimpse into what the entire northern California coast must have looked like before it was logged into submission. Thanks to an environmentally conscientious couple’s foresight in purchasing the land, it remains for all to enjoy. The main trail is wheelchair accessible and though it is packed with tourists, it still has a tranquil air about it as most talk in hushed tones. And why not, you’re walking amongst trees that are not only the tallest on earth, but are one of the oldest living things on the planet. If you can’t get up to camp in Redwood National Park, you should at least get out to see this small gem.

Muir Woods is a tiny area in Marin County that has been set aside to preserve the California redwood trees. You can get a better sampling of these mighty giants in Redwood National Park to the north, but, if you're in the San Francisco vicinity, this is the place to go to walk among the redwoods.

For more information, feel free to visit my Muir Woods National Monument page.

Muir Woods is on the Marin County side of the Golden Gate Bridge. It opens at 9:00 and costs a small fee to get in. The trick is, if you get there early you beat both the crowds and the cost of admission, but I don't think you can get there before 8:00, so try to arrive then. This is a place to think and enjoy the quiet, so I suggest getting there as early as possible before all the buses full of tour groups and school children pull in and begin to populate the walkways.