California – Three Hikes in Muir Woods National Monument
If you want to feel small amongst some big trees in California, the Muir Woods is a great place to see the massive California Redwoods. It seems crazy that the Muir Woods is so close to San Francisco, yet it feels like an entirely different planet. Especially on the weekends, do not expect to be alone. However, you can still expect to see groves of trees that reach a couple of hundred feet above you. Sometimes I forget that the Muir Woods is a National Monument and not a national park. With that said, it is much smaller than a national park with limited hiking trails. During my last visit, I hiked three different routes in about 4 hours, which was fun to see a good portion of the national monument.
This post will break down the three different hikes with what I saw, what I liked, and any drawbacks. At the end of the post, I’ll share what hike combination I would do next time I’m at the Muir Woods. (Before I get any further, be sure you reserve PARKING before going to the Muir Woods. There is limited parking, and you will get turned away if you do not have a reservation. Keep reading for more information.)
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Muir Woods Important Notes – Parking and Maps
Before you even read about the hikes in the Muir Woods, be sure that you reserve parking ahead of time. The Muir Woods National Monument is located in a valley with limited parking. Also, a parking attendant checks everyone’s reservations before allowing them to park. Jump to the section below the hikes for more info on parking, or head directly to gomuirwoods.com to get your parking reservations right now.
Overall, it’s important to remember that the Muir Woods is a National Monument and not a national park. It is much smaller than a national park. So, the Canopy trail that I write about below goes outside the National Monument’s bounds. Here’s a quick and dirty understanding of the trail system. One major trail follows a creek and has four bridges that get further and further away from the entrance. The other trails will branch off of this main trail.
When I researched which hike to do in the Muir Woods, I was confused by the maps and the nameless bridges. Most of the maps include a larger area. It is nice but not helpful if you are only trying to visit the National Monument. I found this map to be the clearest of the trails without having to zoom in too much. But, it doesn’t show the bridges very well. However, the brochure you pick up at the entrance will show the bridges, or you can zoom in on page four of this map. Now that I’ve visited, it is simply smaller than I imagined but still gorgeous!
At a Glance:
- Rating: 4 (out of 4) stars, would go again
- Intensity: Athletic shoes, athletic wear
- Location: North of San Francisco near Mill Valley
- Cost: $9.00 for parking reservation or $3.50 per adult shuttle reservation, PLUS $15.00/per adult for entrance or opt for the National Parks Annual Pass for $80
- Restrooms: There are restrooms with flushing toilets in the first parking area and inside the National Monument near the Gift Shop
- Timing: 2 – 4 hours
- Distance: 1 – 4 miles (depending on the trail)
- Elevation Gain: 0 – 850 ft (depending on the trail)
Highlights:
- California Redwoods that reach over 200ft.
- Groves of massive redwood trees make you feel like you’re in a cathedral.
- The National Monument is not super large, so that you can traverse most (if not all) of the hiking trails in one day.
Lowlights:
- The Muir Woods is a popular destination, so do not expect to be alone.
Easy/Short Hike: The Redwood Creek Trail (Four Bridges)
One lovely way to explore the Muir Woods is to stay along the Main Redwood Creek Trails and see the four bridges. The bridges do not have names. However, they are numbered – one being at the Cafe/Gift shop and four being furthest away from the entrance. The Redwood Creek Trail is incredibly flat and follows Redwood Creek. The tallest Redwoods are along this path. You have the opportunity to pass through the Cathedral Grove, Bohemian Grove, and Founders Grove. However, this is the main trail. So, it will be the busiest and always have fencing on either side to ensure people stay on the path.
I feel that everyone should walk this path and have the classic experience of Muir Woods National Monument. If you have the physical ability to add on another trail, you might have a greater chance to have a moment alone with these beautiful giants. But if you’re short on time, stay on this main path along the four bridges for a chance to experience the groves.
Redwood Creek Trail: Close to 0 elevation gain, Length: 1.75 miles
Medium Hike: The Hillside Trail
If you want something a little more than the Redwood Creek Trail, but not too much more, then I recommend adding on the Hillside Trail to make a loop. The Hillside Trail starts at the fourth bridge (furthest away from the entrance), so you’ll get to see most things along the Redwood Creek Trail and gain a bit of elevation for a different view of the redwoods. I loved this addition because it allows you to get a little bit away from the crowds and on a trail that doesn’t have fencing, so it feels more like a nature hike. I also loved seeing where the creek level was far below and how the redwoods still reached far above me. It hits you how these trees are 20 stories tall.
The hillside trail includes stairs, elevation gain, and uneven ground, so it will be a little more challenging than the Redwood Creek Trail. But Overall, if you are physically able, I recommend adding the hillside trail!
Hillside Trail: about 150 ft elevation gain, length: roughly 2 miles
Longer Hike: Canopy View Trail – Lost Trail – Fern Creek Trail
I would categorize the last two hikes more in the category of a nature stroll. However, if you’d like to do a hike with some elevation gain through smaller groves of redwoods, you can check out the Canopy View Trail. When I first arrived at the Muir Woods, I was shocked at the number of people entering the Muir Woods. I had hoped that by getting there in the morning, there would be some moments alone… but I soon realized I might never be alone on the Redwood Creek Trail. So I decided to exit onto the Canopy View Trail.
The Canopy View Trail is well named! Starting near the entrance, the trail gently climbs through the redwoods and around bends and above the treetops. I noticed that the redwoods on this trail were not as big, but there were groves of smaller redwoods, especially clustered in creek beds. At the trail junction, there is a bench, which is a lovely place to get some water and rest before heading downhill on the Lost Trail. Now and then, you’ll get a peek through the trees to see the entire canyon/valley. There are many steps to descend on the Lost Trail as you connect to the Fern Creek Trail.
The Fern Creek Section back to the Redwood Creek Trail is gorgeous! It also has massive redwoods, with additional ones that you have to duck under and walk around. With fewer people than the Redwood Creek Trail, it was my favorite section of the entire National Monument. Overall, I only saw about 10 people on this route, so if you’re looking for solitude, you may have to do a little hiking for it.
Canopy – Lost – Fern Creek Trail: 869 ft elevation gain, length: 3.4 miles
The Best of All Worlds – Combined Trail (AKA, What I would do with limited time)
Each trail I took gave me a new perspective and provided something a little different. The most straightforward Redwood Creek Trail has giant, impressive trees with groves to walk through. With the addition of the Hillside Trail, I got a higher view and more of a hiking trail. And the longest trail was quiet and showed me the Fern Creek area.
For a lovely mix and what I would do if I were to go back. I would suggest taking the following route:
- Start by enjoying Redwood Creek Trail and go all the way up to Fern Creek Trail until you get to the Lost Trail junction.
- Then, backtrack to the Redwood Creek Trail to head up to Bridge 4, where you can make a loop with the Hillside Trail.
- And finally, come back down and make sure you didn’t miss any of the named groves on the Redwood Creek Trail (Cathedral Grove, Bohemian Grove, and Founders Grove).
This loop hits all the best parts of the trails and would end up being around 2.5 to 3 miles, with time to visit the gift shop and bathrooms. Although I enjoyed the Canopy Trail for the solitude, it didn’t have as many extra-large trees, except for the Fern Creek section.
Other Considerations – Bathrooms and Food
A couple of things I learned while hiking around was that the only bathroom is at the entrance, and there is no food allowed on the trails of the National Monument. I believe there are two bathrooms available – one in the first parking lot and the other inside the National Monument. The bathroom placement is vital because there are none on the trails. After hiking all three paths, I had to go! If you have a small bladder, plan your hikes in the Muir Woods accordingly.
As for the food, I could see how disruptive it would be if people were leaving trash and crumbs along the Redwood Creek Trail. With so many people visiting each day, I bet it was adding up. No food makes for a nicer experience; however, I was STARVING when I got back to the gift shop area. I recommend bringing snacks with you to eat immediately before starting to hike and so they are ready when you get back to the Gift Shop area.
In the Gift Shop building, there is also a company that sells food and snacks. There is a famous grilled cheese sandwich with tomato soup featured on the Food Network. Make sure to get the special Marin Melt, which has two locally sourced kinds of cheese. I didn’t get it this time, but it truly looks delicious.
Critical: Get a Parking Reservation
If there is one way to truly mess up your visit to the Muir Woods National Monument, it’s by not getting a parking reservation. I’m pretty sure that if you do not have a parking reservation, you will not be allowed to park in the relatively small parking lots. Get your reservation ahead of time at gomuirwoods.com. It costs $9.00 for a parking reservation.
Alternatively, you can take the shuttle, which is $3.50 per adult. You still need to purchase shuttle tickets in advance, and be sure to check out the Shuttle Information. When I visited, the shuttle was only running on weekends and holidays, and each shuttle that arrived seemed FULL.
Even with the parking restrictions and shuttle operating, the Muir Woods felt very busy. Especially on the Redwood Creek Trail, where there was a near-constant stream of people. I visited on a Sunday morning in September, so I bet it would be less crowded on a weekday.
Muir Woods Hiking Recommendations
Although all of the hikes in the Muir Woods are not very long, I recommend bringing a day pack to hold all of your goodies so you feel prepared and comfortable walking amongst the giants.
- Download the Alltrails Map if you’re doing the Canopy – Lost – Fern Creek Trail
- Day Pack – I used a small 16L backpack from Amazon. Consider the Gregory May 16 or small Osprey pack.
- Water bottle – You cannot go wrong with a handy dandy Nalgene
- Layers to add and remove as needed – The blue shirt is an older version of Patagonia’s Capilene Midweight Base Layer, and I also brought a Uniqlo black puffy jacket
- Sunscreen – I use this sunscreen for my face, and this one for my body
- Small tripod for photos
Overall Thoughts: Hikes in Muir Woods National Monument
The Muir Woods is hard not to love. The first time I visited was back in college for a class that incorporated art history and environmental studies, during 2011 or 2012. Our assignment when visiting was to capture a picture on a DIGITAL CAMERA (haha) that represented our experience. During my recent visit in 2021, I tried to remember the trails we hiked and recreate my original photo, which was super fun.
I distinctly remember the Hillside Trail during the class visit, so I’m glad to revisit it! During both visits, there is a sense of being so small amongst the giants and the urge to be quiet and respectful amongst the trees. Do you feel that way when you’re around big trees? Overall, the Muir Woods was smaller than I remember but equally beautiful and impactful.
Have you visited the Muir Woods National Monument? What was your experience like, and would you add anything to my descriptions? Let me know in the comments, as I would love to hear what you think.
Happy Travels,
Hanna
Hi Hanna, I did the Redwood Creek and Hillside Trail today, on a very foggy and rainy day. Even then, there were quite a few people on the main trail. Almost nobody on the Hillside Trail though. I really wanted to do Fern Creek, Lost, and Canopy, but didn’t have time, so I’ll have to come back again to do those. You’re right, without a parking reservation you won’t get in, and there’s no cell signal at the monument to reserve it when you arrive. The trees compel you to consider your smallness and brevity and the aura of grandeur is something really special. On the Hillside Trail, I too was struck by how far below the creek was, and yet the trees seemed just as high above me as they did down at the creek! Thank you for your review, excellent observations. Anis