I find it nearly impossible to believe that the peace and natural beauty of Muir Woods National Monument is a mere thirty minutes from bustling San Francisco. A world apart from the city of the Golden Gate Bridge, world’s largest Chinatown, and Painted Ladies, Muir Woods is a natural refuge featuring a landscape entirely different from what one would expect of the Bay Area. There are no glossy townhomes or views of the Pacific Ocean here – just some of the tallest trees in North America.
Kevin and I wanted to visit Muir Woods on our first trek to the Bay Area together in February 2015, but other attractions and sights kept distracting us and, before too long, our trip was over. Thanks to a conference, Kevin’s work sent him back to the city in February 2016 – and I, of course, tagged along. We flew out to Los Angeles a few days before the start of the conference, and spent the weekend meandering up the beautiful Big Sur coastline. On Sunday afternoon, we arrived at Muir Woods full of excitement and anticipation to a find the parking lot completely full.
Now, I’m not sure if parking struggles are the norm at Muir Woods on February weekends, or if the fact we visited on the day San Francisco just so happened to be hosting the Super Bowl exacerbated the problem. The side street leading into the park, which typically accommodates overflow parking, was similarly packed to the brim and we drove around for about fifteen minutes until a spot on the street opened up.
Given the full lot, I expected the trails of Muir Woods National Monument to be crowded, but I discovered the park’s trademark boardwalk paths were relatively empty and serene. I’m almost certain the first twenty minutes I spent in the park featured me craning my neck up at the sky; no photograph does these massive trees justice. They are tall, and I felt completely dwarfed and overwhelmed by the lush canopy of green hundreds of feet above my head.
Muir Woods National Monument received the prestigious designation in 1907, nine whole years before the creation of the National Parks Service, and was named in honor of John Muir, the Scottish-born naturalist who fell in love with the California landscape and acted as the nation’s number-one advocate for the creation of federally-protected lands. He dedicated his entire life to this endeavor, and died shortly after the government established Muir Woods. Muir’s passion for the outdoors has been a legacy for the conservation movements in both Scotland and the United States; without him, the National Parks Service might never have existed. Yosemite National Park, not too far from Muir Woods, exists because of his relentless lobbying.
Ranger-led talks are held throughout the day and can be quite informative; I had the pleasure of attending a twenty-minute discussion led by an enthusiastic ranger named Lucy and learned how the redwoods of Muir Woods rely on the roots of their neighboring trees to survive. She likened it to a tree’s version of a kinship system, and mentioned their roots are typically shallow in the ground but extend incredibly far. As Kevin and I continued strolling through the park following the talk, we couldn’t help but see the outlines of redwood roots everywhere we looked. Lucy also mentioned how the famous Northern California climate – moderate temperatures, ample moisture from light rains and fog – is essential for the redwoods’ health. If you’re interested in ranger talks, just ask one of the attendees in the visitor center for the time of the next lecture. Kevin and I visited in early February, presumably at the height of the off-season, and yet, talks were being held once an hour.
Since Kevin and I didn’t have too much time to spend in the park – not to mention, we arrived at 1 p.m. and still hadn’t had lunch yet – we thoroughly explored the paved/accessible trail most popular with visitors and briefly walked the Ben Johnson trail before turning back towards the visitor’s center. The must-sees? Cathedral Grove and Pinchot Grove, and both of these popular spots are accessible to those with limited mobility and/or in wheelchairs. We spent about ninety minutes in Muir Woods National Monument, but for those truly crunched for time, the basics can be enjoyed in thirty to forty-five minutes; if you’re visiting on a weekend, just be prepared to struggle for a parking spot.
This should be a given, but please do not hug or climb the trees – this stresses the trees out and can actually kill them. I can’t say how many ignorant visitors were wrapping their arms around the trees for photo opportunities; Mr. Muir would not have approved of this behavior, to say the least!
In 2008, the National Parks Service published a helpful two-page summary of the science and history of redwood trees, available here for those who are interested. Those who plan on visiting Muir Woods National Monument can find the official trail map here. Finally, if you can only visit on a weekend and don’t want to battle other tourists for a parking spot, consider taking a seasonal shuttle into the park – read about it here.
