Muir Woods National Monument is part of California’s Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It’s less than an hour north of San Francisco and yet it feels like it’s in a different world. You are immediately surrounded by redwood trees upon arrival and the temperature drops thanks to the shade of the trees.
Muir Woods is a smaller park, but with a variety of trails, we never felt crowded. We picked up Junior Ranger books and made our way from the visitor center along the Bohemian Grove Trail, which takes you along the Redwood Creek on an easy to navigate boardwalk. From here you could easily view several different groves of Redwood Trees, some big enough to walk inside. Near the first bridge you could see the cross section of a redwood and calculate how old it was when it was cut down.
We chose to veer off onto the Canopy View Trail, which takes you up a series of paths and steps until you are up in the canopies of the redwoods. It was amazing to look down from this height and really feel how tall these trees are. There were fallen logs and benches along the way and we stopped for water breaks and a snack along the way.
We continued along until the trail wound back down and connected again to the Grove Trail. We learned a ton about the Redwoods and loved the chance to be in nature here. When we got back to the visitor center the boys got their Junior Ranger badges.
Things to Know Before You Go
Be certain to make a parking reservation ahead of time. Parking is $9 for a regular vehicle, but must be reserved ahead of time. You cannot access the lot without a pass and you need to arrive during your timed-entry window.
The fee to visit Muir Woods is $15 per person, but children under 15 are free. Students with a free pass from Every Kid Outdoors can get free admission for their family if they bring the pass.
