Muir Beach, San Rafael

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John Muir was a Scottish-born naturalist and preservationist who helped protect the Yosemite Valley. When the last stand of redwoods was preserved in the area immediately north of San Francisco in the early 1900s, the land owners chose to name the area after Muir to preserve his legacy.

Muir Woods National Monument was created by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908. It is one of the largest tourist attractions around San Francisco with almost 800,000 annual visitors and is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Much of Muir Woods is surrounded by Mount Tamalpais State Park, where facilities for camping and other activities are available.

Muir Beach is a tiny coastal town known for its monarch butterfly overwintering areas and isalmon in some of the local creeks. It is set among the beautiful steep cliffs overlooking the water.

Muir Woods, Mount Tamalpais, and Muir Beach are located north of the Golden Gate Bridge along Highway One.