Food and hot beverages are available in our café
, operated by our park concessionaire, Muir Woods Trading Company.
How much time do you need to spend at Muir Woods?
Visiting Muir Woods can be a great experience as long as you plan everything right and take time to explore it. I recommend taking
between 1,5-3 hours
to explore everything, however, if you want to do more hiking, you should allocate about 5 hours for your trip.
What town is near Muir Woods?
| Muir Woods National Monument | Location Marin County, California, U.S. | Nearest city Mill Valley, CA | Coordinates 37°53′31′′N 122°34′15′′WCoordinates: 37°53′31′′N 122°34′15′′W | Area 554 acres (224 ha) |
|---|
What is the best time of day to visit Muir Woods?
To avoid the crowds during the day,
get there very early or after 4 pm
. When the crowds thin out and commercial parking is open to the public. The park is open from 8 a.m. until sunset. Be there at about 7:30 if you are an early bird.
Is Muir Woods worth visiting?
Overall, Muir Woods National Monument is
an amazing place that will make you feel insignificant (in a good way) standing before some of the largest trees in the world
. Experienced without people, it is nothing short of breathtaking, and one of the coolest places you’ll visit in California.
How can I get into Muir Woods for free?
If you’re visiting Muir Woods on a weekend, simply
park your car at the Pohono Park & Ride area
(parking is free for 72 hours!), where there is a shuttle stop that takes you directly to the Muir Woods Entrance.
What movies were filmed in Muir Woods?
Maybe you can recognize the forests of Muir Woods National Monument, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, and Jedediah Smith State Park—among others—in films like
The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Outbreak, and Rise of the Planet of the Apes
.
Is Muir Woods a hard hike?
Muir Woods Trail – Bridge 3 and back |
Level of difficulty: Easy
| Length: 1.3-mile | Duration: 1h. This path follows the Redwood Creek Trail, which is the most popular taken way for anyone visiting the Muir Woods National Park.
What is the best time of the year to visit the redwood forest?
Best Time to Visit: Redwood National Park has decent weather all year long thanks to the mild coastal temperatures. The winter months tend to be rainy, so the best months to hike amongst the redwoods are from
May to September
.
Can you drive thru Muir Woods?
You can’t drive through Muir Woods
, so taking a private car does not offer any advantage. Because there is a limited number of parking spaces at the entrance of Muir Woods, you need to reserve and pay for a parking spot in advance.
Can you go to Muir Woods without a reservation?
No! Visitors arriving by vehicle must have a parking reservation in advance
. If you arrive to Muir Woods without a reservation, you will be turned away.
What is Muir Woods famous for?
Muir Woods is
the first National Monument that was created solely because of a land donation from a individual
. Congressman William Kent donated the land to protect redwoods, some of which are over 150 years old, from the logging industry boom. He also insisted it be named for John Muir.
Is Muir Woods open to the public?
Muir Woods is
usually open 365 days a year
!
The Muir Woods Visitor Center is open 8:00 am to 30 minutes before the park closes.
Can you take dogs to Muir Woods?
Pets are not permitted in Muir Woods
. The park is very small and can get very crowded. To protect the wildlife, other visitors, and your pet, we suggest that you visit nearby areas such as the Coastal Trail at Muir Beach, and some trails in the Marin Headlands where they are permitted.
How long does it take to hike Muir Woods?
| Hike Round-Trip Distance Time/ Difficulty Level | Muir Woods to Muir Beach and back 6 mi/ 9.7 km Elevation Gain: 150 ft/ 46 m +/- 4 hours | Stinson Beach via Dipsea Trail and back 10 mi/ 16.1 km Elevation Gain: 1240 ft/ 378 m +/- 7 hours |
|---|
What is the difference between Muir Woods and redwood National Park?
Muir Woods is about one mile long by one quarter mile wide and the trees get to about 250 ft tall. Redwood NP is about 50 miles long by up to 5 miles wide, trees get up to 370 ft tall. Also there is more variety of other trees at RNP, spruce, western hemlock, big leaf maple.
Are redwoods and sequoias the same thing?
Sequoias and giant redwoods are often referred to interchangeably, though
they are two very different, though equally remarkable, species of tree
. Both naturally occurring only in California, these two species share a distinctive cinnamon-colored bark and the proclivity for growing to overwhelming heights.
Is Muir Woods close to Yosemite?
The distance between Muir Woods National Monument and Yosemite National Park is
166 miles
. The road distance is 211.9 miles.
Can you take Uber to Muir Woods?
Technically,
you can still take Uber to Muir Woods
– although this may change in the future. The only problem is getting back. There is no cell signal or wifi in the woods, and thus ordering a car via your phone to return to San Francisco isn’t possible.
Can you bike in Muir Woods?
This is a very popular area for birding,
road biking
, and scenic driving, so you’ll likely encounter other people while exploring. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime.
Can you park outside of Muir Woods?
Under the new system
there is no parking outside the Muir Woods lots
. The shoulder areas along the narrow roadside are now “No Parking” areas, and those rules are enforced tightly by local authorities.
Was Planet of the Apes filmed in Muir Woods?
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)
In the fictional tales, the apes have made Muir Woods their home, even though
the film was actually shot in British Columbia
. The Muir Woods National Monument, perhaps better known simply as the Redwood Forest, spans 12 miles north of San Francisco in Marin County.
Did they film Jurassic Park in redwoods?
Jurassic Park
This motion picture used Red Rock Canyon State Park and locations in the North Coast Redwoods State Parks District
among its many filming locations.
Where was the speeder bike scene filmed?
Don’t forget your lightsaber.
Humboldt Redwoods State Park
. Some of the scenes for the speeder bike chase sequence were filmed from the back of a truck driving down the Avenue of the Giants. You may not have R2D2 to guide you, but you can download our Avenue of the Giants Auto Tour to listen to on your drive.
Do you need hiking boots for Muir Woods?
Unless you plan to explore the trails past the monument, a good pair of walking shoes will be fine
. The actual monument has a walking deck/platform that takes you around, so even if the rains made the woods damp and muddy you’ll do great.
Does Muir Woods waterfall?
By hiking the Bootjack Trail out of Muir Woods, I can admire the old-growth redwoods and enjoy
cascading waterfalls
. This hike might be Marin’s best two-for-one offer.
How do you experience Muir Woods?
- Ranger Led Programs at the Woods. Sign up for an interpretive program.
- 2021 Muir Woods Stamp. Getting your virtual cancellations is easy! Browse, print, and cut out for your book.
- Muir Beach & Muir Beach Overlook. Located on the Pacific Coast three miles west of Muir Woods.
