10 Things to Know Before You Visit Muir Woods National Monument

Across the Golden Gate Bridge and 12 miles North of San Francisco, is Muir Woods National Monument — 558 acres of government protected land, complete with paved trails winding through old growth coastal redwoods.

I spent two hours walking around the park and marveling at the massive redwood trees, lush foliage on the forest floor, and listening to the bubbling Redwood Creek that flows through the park.

There were a few things that I wasn't aware of prior to my first visit to the park, and wasn't able to find intuitively on the official National Parks Service (NPS) website prior to my visit. For that reason, I've highlighted 10 things you should know before planning a trip to Muir Woods National Monument.

1. Reservations are Required

This is a new rule as of January 16, 2018 to better accommodate an increase in visitation. During my visit, without a prior parking reservation, I was instructed to turnaround and make a reservation outside of the park using gomuirwoods.com.

The new parking and shuttle reservation system will better manage visitation levels, allow visitors to plan their trip in advance, and reduce overcrowding. In this way, the system will improve the overall visitor experience while also enhancing the protection and preservation of the surrounding natural resources. - NPS website

The new reservation system is fairly simple and using my credit card information, I was able to make a reservation in under 5 minutes. You can make reservations up to 90 days in advance, but should consider at least 2-3 days during the peak summer season, weekends, and on holidays.

2. No Cell Phone Service or WiFi

There is no cell phone service or WiFi in the park. There is cell phone service at the top of the hill, on Ridge Ave, but even with Verizon 4G, I was unable to get any service once I drove down the road into the park.

This is a critical factor, as you'll need to make parking reservations prior and any meeting plans prior to arriving inside the park. The plaza area between the main parking lot and visitor center is a common meeting location with picnic tables and bathrooms.

When making your parking reservation outside of the park, you'll be sent a QR code via text or email. This will be scanned by a parking attendant when you arrive and should be accessible on your phone even without service. You can also take a screenshot or add the pass to Apple Wallet just in case.

3. Shuttle Service

Shuttle service is made available at three separate bus stop locations in Sausalito, CA (about 20-25 minutes from the entrance of the park). Make your shuttle reservations here.

• $3 for Adults | FREE for Children (15 years of age and under)

Visitors booking shuttle reservations do not require a parking reservation.

4. Entrance Fee and Annual Passes

Once you arrive in the park, by personal vehicle or shuttle bus, you will either pay an entrance fee for the day or purchase one of the annual pass options at the Visitor Center.

• Muir Woods Entrance Fee - $10.00 for Adults | Free for Children (15 and under) || This fee is good for the day. Admits one person to Muir Woods National Monument.
  

• Muir Woods Annual Pass - $40 for Adults || This pass is good for 12 months. Admits the pass holder and three persons (16 and older) to Muir Woods National Monument free of charge.
  

• America the Beautiful - National Parks & Federal Recreational Lands Annual Pass - $80 for Adults | Special pricing for Seniors, Military, Permanently Disabled US Citizens, and Volunteers || This pass is good for 12 months. Admits the pass holder and and three persons (16 and older) to Muir Woods and ALL federally operated recreation sites across the country.

I recommend the America the Beautiful pass, especially if you plan on visiting any other national parks in California (ie. Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Joshua Tree, Redwood, Death Valley, Lassen Volcanic, Pinnacles, or Channel National Parks).

5. Hours of Operation

Muir Woods is open 365 days a year. However, the park's hours of operation change depending on the season and can be found here.

6. Water

Water can be purchased in the cafe or filled up at any of the water stations in the park including the main parking lot, the visitor center, and at Fern Creek Trailhead.

7. Bathrooms

There are bathrooms with running water just before the Visitor Center and on the other side of the Cafe and gift shop.

There is an additional bathroom in the Northern-most part of the park, about 10-15 minutes off of Camp Alice Eastwood Trail. It's a little isolated, but follow your map and trail signs and you will find it.

8. What to Bring

Bring layers, water, and a map. It gets a few degrees cooler going from the plaza to inside the park where you'll be under the shade of the redwood trees.

I brought my day hiking backpack with water bladder and all my gear, but found this was overkill unless you plan to venture farther North via the extended trails into the surrounding Mount Tamalpais State Park.

9. Have a Plan

With 6 miles of scenic trails, it can be difficult to choose which route to go, especially if it's your first time in the park. Here is an overview of the trails that shows time, distance, difficulty, and a description of the trail.

Keep in mind, it gets darker earlier due to the shade of the redwoods. It is rare that people get lost in the park, but it's always safe to have a plan, and stay on the trails.

10. Support & Donations

If you want to support Muir Woods and the conservation of the redwood forrest, consider making a purchase at the bookstore, gift shop, or cafe.

The gift shop has many souvenirs including t-shirts, bracelets, prints, Native American jewelry, stickers, and miniature hand crafted redwood trees sourced from local redwoods.

You can also volunteer, make a a cash donation in the box near the visitor center, or donate online to the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, a nonprofit that supports the conservation of Muir Woods and the surrounding parks in Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

----

I hope you find this article helpful. It should be used as a resource, but not replace more current and detailed information on the official National Parks Service website.

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." - John Muir

Citations and Photos:

www.nps.gov/muwo, http://www.gomuirwoods.com, https://twitter.com/muirwoodsnps, https://twitter.com/MtnMapper, http://www.parksconservancy.org