One of the most memorable experiences from our one-week California road trip was our visit to Muir Woods National Monument. Just a short drive across the San Francisco Bay near Strawberry, this magical redwood forest looks like something straight out of the pages of a fantasy novel!

Here are my top tips for visiting Muir Woods National Monument while you’re in San Francisco!

How to Reserve Entry to Muir Woods National Monument

In order to visit Muir Woods, you need to reserve your parking spot ahead of time for $9. You can do this on the Muir Woods website here. Make sure you print a copy or download it on your phone before you arrive, because there is no cell reception or wifi in the woods.

Once you arrive, you must also pay $15 per person for entry. You can use cash or a card to do this.

 

What to See at Muir Woods National Monument

There are 6 miles of trails to explore at Muir Woods. Following the main path gives you the options to do a half hour loop, a one hour loop, or a one and a half hour loop depending on your stamina and interest levels. You can also explore even further on more remote trails that lead into Mount Tamalpais State Park. Look at this chart with a park map to help you decide which path is right for you.

We stuck to the main trail and walked for about 2 hours (stopping often to snap pictures) down through Cathedral Grove to Bridge 4 and back along Hillside Trail. This is the third option on the chart linked above. 

As milder hikers and nature photography enthusiasts, this was the perfect amount of time for us to disconnect and immerse ourselves in nature. We were eager to see the Cathedral grove and we enjoyed the view of the small creek from the three bridges we passed along the trail. We felt like we saw a wide variety of forest landscape and so many really unique redwood trees along this path. Timing-wise, this also worked out well for us because we could still spend the first half of our day doing other activities in San Francisco. 

 

Tips for Visiting Muir Woods National Monument

Here are a few top tips for Muir Woods National Monument to help you get the most from your experience there.

1. Remember to download or print your parking pass before you go.

As mentioned above, there is no cell phone reception or wifi at Muir Woods. Make sure you download your parking reservation beforehand, and I recommend sticking together in your party so that you won’t have to try to communicate digitally if you get separated.

2. Look at a map before you set out.

Grab a free map at the visitor center or download one on your phone from the National Park Service app before you arrive. This will help you ensure you don’t miss anything you want to see.

3. Take a bathroom break before you set out. 

There aren’t really any additional buildings at Muir Woods aside from the visitor center and gift shop at the main entrance. If you need a water or bathroom break, take it before you start exploring. It’s also important to remember the park hours: we finished our hike and left about 15 minutes after the park officially closed, and we missed out on the gift shop. If you want to grab a souvenir, water bottle, or snack, I recommend doing that first thing when you arrive.

4. Wear comfy shoes.

You won’t need serious hiking boots at Muir Woods, but since you will be walking on rugged paths for several hours I would recommend shoes that don’t hurt your feet. I was wearing cute sandals around San Francisco and kept them on when we first arrived, but I quickly changed into a pair of tennis shoes in my backpack so that my feet wouldn’t ache the rest of the day. 

5. Use the side paths to take beautiful pictures.

It was never very crowded while we were at Muir Woods, but since all of the trails are really just an extension of the same main path, there were always a few people around us. To get the most dramatic pictures where it looks like you’ve wandered into a fairytale woods, walk up the steps of one of the short side paths and point your camera away from the trail where people are walking. 

 

One-Week California Road Trip Guides

Muir Woods was just one of the lovely stops on our epic road trip through California.

Check back on the blog within the next few weeks for links to guides that will help you plan an amazing California road trip too! I’ll be sharing the perfect itinerary, packing tips, my favorite stops, dos and don’ts, and more. 

Happy travels!