The Complete Guide to Muir Woods: Trails, Reservations, and More
Muir Woods National Monument is one of the most popular attractions in the Bay Area, bringing in hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. A trip to the area just wouldn’t be complete without a visit.
Enacted as a National Monument by Theodore Rosevelt in 1908, Muir Woods is 554 acres of tranquility. These giant coastal redwoods have an average age of 600-800 years old. The oldest clocking in at a whopping 1200 years!
Your first time walking amongst these ancient giants is a magical experience. Many of the trees in the monument are north of 200-feet tall and will undoubtedly leave you in awe as you gaze upon them.
While we encourage anyone and everyone to visit this amazing place, there are certain things you need to know and do before going to ensure a successful visit. Let’s get into it!
Visitor Information
Parking Reservations
If you want to visit Muir Woods, before you do anything else, you need to check the park calendar and ensure there is an available parking reservation for the day(s) you want to go.
Reservations are required no matter the day or time of year. Parking lots at the monument are not large and parking isn’t allowed on the sides of the road. So this is needed in order to mitigate over-crowding.
How To Make a Reservation
To make a parking reservation, follow the steps below:
Go to this website
Click/Tap the reservation button and select the day you want.
You’ll then select your vehicle type.
Select your arrival time window (Arrival times are in 30-minute intervals).
You’ll then be given the option to pay for your park admission fees ahead of time (This fee is in addition to your reservation fee).
Now you’ll enter your information and payment method.
You’ll be emailed a QR code that will contain your reservation and admission fees (if you opted to pre-pay). Be sure to screen shot this and save it. When you arrive, pull it up on your phone and the parking attendant will scan it.
You should also print it out a hard copy in case your phone dies.
Parking Reservation Fees
The following is a list of parking fees for your type of vehicle. These fees are mandatory and are paid at the time you make your reservation:
Standard Vehicle - $9.00
Handicap Accessible - $9.00
Electric Vehicle - $13.00*
Vehicle 17-22 feet - $30
Vehicle 23-35 feet - $45
*The reason EV’s are more is because it includes charging. If you think you’ll be fine without it, just opt for the standard vehicle price. If you’re driving a Tesla, remember to bring your J1772 adaptor.
Shuttle
If you’re visiting on a weekend or holiday, the shuttle is another option. You’ll park at an offsite location at Pohono Park & Ride and take the 30-minute ride in.
If you go with this option, you will NOT need to make a parking reservation. Though you WILL need to select a 30-minute window of arrival at the Pohono lot.
The address for Pohono Park & Ride is as follows:
100 Shoreline Highway, Mill Valley, CA 94941
Fees for the shuttle are:
$3.50 (per person 16 years and up)
Free (persons under 15 years)
The shuttles are ADA accessible with each one able to accommodate two wheelchairs. When making your reservation, be sure to select this option to ensure a spot.
Is Ride-Sharing an Option?
The short answer? Yes and no. You could get an Uber to take you into the monument but once there, you won’t have cell reception. So getting one to pick you up wouldn’t be possible.
Taking a Taxi would be your best bet if you don’t have your own vehicle or you’re visiting on a weekday. We would advise you to arrange a pick-up time with the driver or you can call them on the payphone behind the restrooms near the entrance.
Speaking of restrooms, there are two at the park:
As mentioned above, there’s one just before the entrance near the parking lot.
The other is located near the gift shop and cafe.
Beyond the gift shop, there are no other bathrooms in the monument.
Park Entrance Fees
In addition to paying for either the shuttle or a parking reservation, you will need to pay park entrance fees as well (unless you’re a holder of one of the various annual passes).
Muir Woods entrance fees are as follows:
$15.00 (per person ages 16 and up)
Free for persons 15 years and younger.
*Pro Tip: If you’re a family of 3- 4 and everyone is 16 years or older, consider purchasing the Muir Woods Annual Pass. It costs $45 (the total cost of three adults), is good for 12-months, and covers up to four people per visit! Just keep in mind that it will NOT cover parking or shuttle fees.
The easiest and most convenient way to pay for your entrance fee is online while making your shuttle or parking reservation. When you arrive, the attendant will scan your QR code and you’re done.
If you prefer to pay on arrival, you can. Current accepted forms of payment are cash, credit/debit card, or Apple Pay. Just keep in mind that shuttle or parking fees MUST be paid online, in advance.
Directions to Muir Woods
From San Francisco
Most don’t realize just how close Muir Woods is to San Francisco. How close? Only a mere 11-miles from the Golden Gate Bridge! To get there:
Go north on Highway 101 and cross the Golden Gate Bridge
Take the Highway 1 exit to Stinson Beach
Turn left to stay on Highway 1
Turn right on Panoramic Highway
Turn left on Muir Woods road and continue until you reach the parking lot
From the East Bay
Make your way to and get on Highway 101 South
Take the Highway 1 exit to Stinson Beach
Follow steps 3, 4, and 5 above
For GPS purposes, here is the official address for the monument:
1 Muir Woods Road, Mill Valley, CA 94941
Park Hours
Normally (as in, when we don’t have pandemics going on), Muir Woods is open all year long, including on major holidays. However, it is NOT open 24/7. The monument is open to the public:
8:00am to 5:00pm, daily.
The park facility hours vary slightly from normal park hours. They are:
Visitor Center: 8:00am to 4:30pm. This is the building at the entrance to the monument.
Gift Shop: 9:00am - 5:00pm. This building is roughly 50-60 yards or so behind the visitor center.
Cafe: 10:00am - 4:00pm. The cafe is adjacent to the gift shop.
Best Time to Go
Busiest Time
Peak travel months for Muir Woods is May - October. Due to its proximity to San Francisco, it sees heavy visitation during these months. So much so, it can downright miserable.
If you must come during these months, we highly recommend a weekday and arrive as close to opening as possible. It’ll still be crowded, but it’ll at least be slightly easier than the weekend.
Off Season
In our opinion, the best time to visit is between the months of November and April. Yes, it does get cold and yes, it can be rainy, but the park also sees a major reduction in crowds.
The photos in this post were from our trip in November 2021 and as you can see, the crowds were minimal. If you can help it, we highly advise that you plan your trip for the off season.
Hiking Trails
Within the monument itself, there are 6-miles of trails. There are others that begin in Muir Woods but spur off to other locations such as Muir Beach, Stinson Beach, and neighboring Mount Tamalpias State Park.
All of the park trails begin and end at the visitor center at the entrance of the park. These include:
Bridge 2 and back ( .5 miles): This is a short, peaceful walk along Redwood Creek. The boardwalk following this trail is both wheelchair and stroller friendly.
Bridge 3 and back ( 1 mile): This also follows Redwood Creek (on both sides) but extends your excursion into old growth Redwoods.
Bridge 4 and back (1.5 miles): We highly recommend doing this. This trail takes you all the way to the end of the park (any further and you’ll enter Mount Tamalpias State Park). From here, you can turn around and head back or…..
Hillside Trail (2.0 miles): The first two miles includes the initial 1.5 miles to bridge 4. Instead of heading back the way you came, cross the bridge and head up the hill. This will loop you back and spit you back out at bridge 2. Going this way gives you a different perspective of the forest.
As mentioned above, there are other trails that spur off to other places outside park boundaries. A couple of these include:
Muir Woods to Muir Beach (6 miles): This trail takes you to Muir Beach and back. It isn’t a long or difficult trail but depending on your level of fitness, we would definitely recommend allocating at least a few hours.
Dipsea Trail (up to 10 miles): Dipsea is one of the most popular trails in the area. It begins at Muir Woods and ends at Stinson Beach. You can do the whole thing (about 10-miles, one-way) or you can shorten it to your desired milage.
To see more more trail options, go here.
Whether you intend to stay within the park or hike beyond it, we recommend picking up a park map at the visitor center. You’ll likely be handed one when you get there but if not, definitely ask.
What to Bring
Muir Woods is located almost directly off the coast of the Pacific Ocean. In the morning, that misty fog San Francisco is known for appears quite often. Temperatures rarely exceed 70 degrees and due to the height of the trees, there’s plenty of shade.
Due to this, there are certain things you’ll want to bring with you. Particularly if you’re visiting during the off season months. Here are a few of our suggestions:
Backpack: For us, this is essential. I never go anywhere without my backpack. I use it for camera gear, carrying water, snacks, spare clothing, and other personal items.
Camera: Nearly everyone has a camera on them these days. From DSLR’s to iPhones. Whichever you use, be sure to bring it to capture the memories you’re sure to make. Just don’t try to use a Drone here. They’re not allowed.
Water: Beyond the gift shop, there are no water fountains. Make you to bring plenty of water with you.
Dress in Layers: For the off season months, bring a waterproof jacket. As the day progresses, it’ll start warming up. So keep a long sleeve and short sleeve shirt with you.
Proper Footwear: While the main trail along Redwood Creek is well maintained, you’re still in a wild place. There’s tree stumps, rocks, dirt, etc. Hiking boots or sturdy shoes with good grip would suffice.
Snacks: You can pick some up at the Cafe or save some money/time by bringing them with you. Just be sure to pack out any empty wrappers, bags, etc.
Keep to the Trail
We don’t mean to be preachy, but it needs to be said. It’s important to remain on the trail and boardwalk in Muir Woods. As tempting as it may be to get closer, please don't.
Redwoods have shallow roots and stepping on the little ones can stunt growth. Trampling through the soil could also have devastating consequences for the insects and other wildlife that depend on it as their habitat.
Muir Woods Gift Shop & Cafe
About 20 yards behind the visitor center, you’ll find the gift shop and cafe. Both are housed in one building. The gift shop has all the usuals; shirts, framed pictures, pins, patches, coffee mugs, etc.
The cafe mostly serves a variety of hot and cold sandwiches and some grab & go options. I’ve had the gilled cheese with tomato soup and found it to be fine. Nothing out-of-this-world, but it did the job. You can see their full menu here.
Things to Do Nearby
While you could easily spend an entire day at Muir Woods, if you’re up to it, there are a few places nearby that are worth a visit in their own right.
Muir Beach Overlook: This stunning overlook is located about 10-minutes from Muir Woods. From it, you have endless views of the Pacific Ocean, stunning views of the beach and coastline, and you’ll also learn some awesome military history on top of that. You can read all about it on our post here.
Stinson Beach: About 20-minutes is all it takes to drive to Stinson Beach from Muir Woods.
Kirby Cove Hiking Trail: About 13-miles from Muir Woods and on the Marin Headlands side of the Golden Gate Bridge, this short hiking trail takes you to a stunning cove with jaw an amazing view of the bridge and city. Read our guide on it here.
Mount Tamalpais State Park: What the locals refer to as, “Mount Tam”, this stunning State Park has a huge network of hiking trails through amazing forests, waterfalls, the mountain’s summit, and more!
Conclusion
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Muir Woods and we have no doubt you will too. We’re so excited to finally add it to our website and help you put together a trip for yourself. Let us know in the comments if you have any further questions!
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