Muir Woods National Monument
IUCN category III (natural monument or feature)
Redwood trees at the Muir Woods National Monument
Location	Marin County, California, U.S.
Nearest city	Mill Valley, CA
Coordinates	37°53′31″N122°34′15″W / 37.89194°N 122.57083°W /37.89194; -122.57083
Area	554 acres (224 ha)[1]
Created	January 9, 1908 (1908-01-09)
Visitors	798,625 (in 2022)[2]
Governing body	National Park Service
Website	Muir Woods National Monument
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Designated	January 9, 2008
Reference no.	07001396[3]

Muir Woods National Monument (/mjʊər/MURE) is aUnited States national monument managed by theNational Park Service and named after naturalistJohn Muir. It is located onMount Tamalpais near thePacific coast in southwesternMarin County, California. The Monument is part of theGolden Gate National Recreation Area, and is 12 miles (19 km) north ofSan Francisco. It protects 554 acres (224 ha),^[4] of which 240 acres (97 ha) areold-growthcoast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) forests,^[5] one of the few such stands remaining in theSan Francisco Bay Area.

The Muir Woods National Monument is anold-growth coastal redwood forest^[6] in a canyon situated on the western slope ofMount Tamalpais, which rises to 2,571 feet.^[7] Because it faces and is in close proximity to thePacific Ocean, the forest is regularly shrouded in a thick, coastalmarine layer fog in the summer, contributing to a wet environment that encourages vigorous plant growth. The fog is also vital for the growth of the redwoods as they use moisture from the fog during drought seasons, particularly during dry summers.^[6][7] During the winter, substantial rainfall soaks the ground, creating the damp environment these trees prefer, as they naturally flourish near rivers and streams.^[7]

The monument remains cool and moist year-round with daytime temperatures averaging between 40 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit (4 to 21 °C). Rainfall is heavy during the winter, and summers are almost completely dry, with the exception offog drip caused by the fog passing through the trees. Annual precipitation in the park ranges from 39.4 inches (1,000 mm) in the lower valley to 47.2 inches (1,200 mm) higher up in the mountain slopes.

The redwoods grow on brown humus-richloam, which may be gravelly, stony or, somewhat sandy. This soil has been assigned to the Centissimaseries, which is always found on sloping ground. It is well-drained, moderately deep, and slightly to moderately acidic.^[9]It has developed from amélange in theFranciscan Formation.^[10] More open areas of the park have shallow gravelly loam of the Barnabe series, or deep hard loam of the Cronkhite series.^[11]

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The first fossils ofSequoia sempervirens, also known as Coast Redwood, can be traced back to theJurassic period, more than 200 million years ago.^[13] Redwood forests grew throughout the Northern Hemisphere.^[13] Before commercial logging began in the mid-nineteenth century as a result of theGold Rush, redwood forests occurrednaturally, covering an estimated 810,000 ha (2,000,000 acres) extending fromOregon in the north to south ofBig Sur inMonterey County, California.^[13][14] By 2023, only 5% of the historic range of old-growth along the coast remains, shrunk to a strip of 450 miles along the coast. Trees in the coast redwood forests are young.^[13]

Because of its proximity toSan Francisco, in the mid-1880s, redwoods on Mount Tamalpais were heavily logged to build the city and later, in 1906, to rebuild it. The redwood in Muir's woods, in what was then called Redwood Canyon, on Mount Tamalpais' steep slope, were spared because they were too difficult to reach for logging.^[7]

In 1903,William Kent chaired a meeting attended by the chiefs of theU.S. Forest Service and theU.S. Biological Survey. The group discussed a proposal for a 12,000-acre park fromthe mountain to the sea, on land owned by ranchers and the Tamalpais Land and Water Company. In 1905, using money borrowed from a banker friend, the Kents bought 611 acres of Redwood Canyon within this area on the southwestern side of Mount Tamalpais to thwart logging, protect the redwood forests, and provide visitors’ accommodations. Two years later, their plan to save the primeval redwood groves of Redwood Creek was threatened when theNorth Coast Water Company^[15] (successor to theTamalpais Land and Water Company^[16]) began condemnation proceedings on 47 acres of the Kents' private acreage in order to dam the creek and create a reservoir to provide a water supply for Sausalito. But William Kent learned about America’s first preservation law, the Antiquities Act of 1906: it allowed the government to accept gifts from private citizens and gave the president the ability to create national monuments by proclamation. Kent wrote to President Theodore Roosevelt and offered to donate 298 acres to the nation. Roosevelt accepted, and in 1908 Muir Woods became a national monument. Kent insisted that the park be named for John Muir, whose western explorations, political efforts, and writing had so increased our country’s awareness of its natural treasures. With later land acquisi- tions, nearly all of them Kent family gifts, the monument grew and now protects 560 acres, most of it virgin redwood forest. William Kent was elected to Congress in 1910 and served for three terms. During his time in Washington, he helped create the National Park Service.^[17]

Concerns about protecting Redwood Canyon had already been raised in the early 20th century with conservationists such as U.S. Congressman,William Kent, his wife,Elizabeth Thacher Kent; a banker atBank of California, Lovell White and his wife,Laura Lyon White; and Canadian-American botanist and conservationist,Alice Eastwood, procurator and Head of the Department of Botany, at theCalifornia Academy of Sciences inSan Francisco.

"By 1904, influential women from the San Francisco Bay Area had organized to purchase more forest, this time owned by the North Coast Water Company, which was under pressure from its shareholders to sell the land to another private entity. A key organizer and advocate was Alice Eastwood, who worked as a curator at the California Academy of Sciences. She and others spearheaded a drive to raise $80,000 to buy the land...^[18]"

The Kents purchased 611 acres (247 ha) of land from theTamalpais Land and Water Company^[19][15] for $45,000 in 1905 with the goal of protecting the redwoods and the mountain above them. The deal was facilitated by White and his activist wife.^[20][21]

According to the U.S. National Park Service, the Canadian-American botanist and conservationist,Alice Eastwood (1859-1953), worked to protect and maintain numerous redwood forests in California, including in Muir Woods National Monument,Mount Tamalpais State Park,^[22] and the Alice Eastwood Memorial Grove, a redwood grove inHumboldt County.^[23] Eastwood came to San Francisco in 1893 to work at the California Academy of Sciences as a curator and worked there for over 50 years.^[22]

In 1907, a water company in nearbySausalito planned to damRedwood Creek, thereby flooding the valley. When Kent objected to the plan, the water company threatened to useeminent domain and took him to court to attempt to force the project to move ahead. Kent sidestepped the water company's plot by donating 295 acres (119 ha) of the redwood forest to the federal government, thus bypassing the local courts.

TheMount Tamalpais and Muir Woods Railway began to carry passengers to the redwood grove in 1907, with trains turning off the mainline track onto a spur at Mesa Junction. This brought the first sightseeing groups to the grove.^[25][21]

Muir Woods became a national monument on January 9, 1908, before the National Park Service existed, when it was signed into law under theAntiquities Act by PresidentTheodore Roosevelt.^[26] The Kents bought Redwood Canyon to protect and preserve it and worked to get Roosevelt to declare it a monument. In legislation written to protect Muir Woods, it was described as, "of extraordinary scientific interest and importance because of the primeval character of the forest in which it is located, and of the character, age, and size of the trees".^[27] Once declared a national monument, Muir Woods was immediately protected and placed under the care of the United States Government. The Antiquities Act was the first of its kind to provide protection for natural resources.

The original suggested name of the monument was the Kent Monument, but Kent insisted the monument be named after naturalistJohn Muir, whose environmental campaigns helped to establish theNational Park system, and President Roosevelt agreed with this proposition.

Kent and Muir had become friends over shared views of wilderness preservation, but Kent's later support for the flooding ofHetch Hetchy caused Muir to end their friendship.^[28]

In December 1928, the Kent Memorial was erected at theKent Tree inFern Canyon. This tree, a Douglas fir, not a redwood, was said to be Kent's favorite. Due to its height of 280 feet (85 m) and location on a slope, the tree leaned towards the valley for more than 100 years. Storms in theEl Niño years of 1981 and 1982 caused the tree to tilt even more and took out the top 40 feet (12 m) of the tree.^[29] During the winter of 2002–03, many storms brought high winds to Muir Woods, causing the tree to lean so much that a fissure developed in January 2003. This fissure grew larger as the tree slowly leaned more and more, forcing the closure of some trails. On March 18, 2003, at around 8:28 pm, the tree fell, damaging several other trees nearby.^[29] The closed trails have since been reconfigured and reopened.

In 1937, theGolden Gate Bridge was completed, and park attendance tripled, reaching over 180,000.

PresidentFranklin Delano Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945, shortly before he was to have opened theUnited Nations Conference on International Organization, for which delegates from 50 countries met inSan Francisco to draft and sign theUnited Nations Charter. On May 19, the delegates held a commemorative ceremony in tribute to his memory in Muir Woods' Cathedral Grove, where a dedication plaque was placed in his honor.^[30]

By 1962, more than one billion visitors had visited the park.^[31] Muir Woods is one of the major tourist attractions of theSan Francisco Bay Area, with 776,000 visitors in 2005.

On January 9, 2008, the monument was listed on theNational Register of Historic Places.^[32][33]

In 2023, theU.S. National Park Service undertook a "History Under Construction" initiative, which included re-visiting the history of Muir Woods National Monument's founders and supporters to include the contributions of indigenous peoples and women. This resulted in new signage, for example, that acknowledged that the first movement to save theSequoia Canyon was the Forestry chapter of the California Club, a women's club in the first decade of the twentieth century.^[34][35][36] Elizabeth Villano, now a former park ranger, helped create the new version of the sign.^[37]

In July 2025, theNational Park Service removed this revised history on all Muir Woods National Monument signage that aimed to tell a more complete history of the site, that theTrump administration has referred to as “improper ideology” under a directive targetingdiversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)-related initiatives that allegedly undermined national unity,^[38] from Interior SecretaryDoug Burgum issued earlier that year.^[39]

In the 1890s, Ben Johnson worked as a gamekeeper for the Sportsman's Club in Redwood Canyon, before it became Muir Woods National Monument, living in his own cabin near the confluence of the Redwood and Fern Creeks.^{[40][41][42][43]} Later, Ben Johnson was a caretaker of William Kent's land.^[44] Ben Johnson's cabin was demolished in 1928.^[41]

The first Muir Woods Inn, built not after 1900, was located at what is now calledCampAlice Eastwood, and burned down circa 1907.^[45]

The second Muir Woods Inn was built in 1913, approximately ½ mile downhill, from the first,^[45] hosting John Muir, William Kent, and John H. Cutter, the first president of the Tamalpais Conservation Club and a president of theSierra Club.^{[46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53]}

The main attraction of Muir Woods is thecoast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) trees. They are known for their height and are related to thegiant sequoia of the Sierra Nevada. While redwoods can grow to nearly380 feet (115 m), the tallest tree in the Muir Woods is 258 feet (79 m). The trees come from a seed no bigger than a tomato seed.^[54] Most of the redwoods in the monument are between 500 and 800 years old. The oldest is at least 1,200 years old.

Other tree species grow in theunderstory of the redwood groves. Three of the most common are theCalifornia bay laurel, thebigleaf maple and thetanoak. Each of these species has developed a unique adaptation to the low level of dappled sunlight that reaches them through the redwoods overhead. The California bay laurel has a strong root system that allows the tree to lean towards openings in the canopy. The bigleaf maple, true to its name, has developed the largest leaf of any maple species. These large leaves allow it to capture more of the forest's dim light. The tanoak has a unique internal leaf structure that enables it to make effective use of the light that filters through the canopy.

Redwood Creek provides a critical spawning and rearing habitat forcoho or silver salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) andsteelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Steelhead are listed asthreatened species (2011) in the Central California Coastdistinct population segment. Coho salmon are listed as endangered in theirevolutionary significant unit (2011). The creek is near the southernmost limit of coho habitat and the fish have never been stocked, so they have a distinctive DNA. The Redwood Creek salmon are Central Coast coho salmon which have been listed as federally threatened species since October 2006 and as federallyendangered species in June 2005. Coho migrate from the ocean back to freshwater for a single chance at reproduction, generally after two years in the ocean. The spawning migrations begin after heavy late fall or winter rains breach the sandbar atMuir Beach allowing the fish to move upstream (usually in December and January).^[55] No salmon were seen in the 2007–2008 winter run, nor the 2008–2009 winter run. Evidence points to exhaustion of smolt oversummering in the creek due to a loss of large woody debris and deep pools where young salmon can rest. Starting in 2009, theNational Park Service began restoring Muir Beach to create a functional, self-sustaining ecosystem and improve visitor access.^[56] The intervention was almost too late, since the coho only has a three-year life span. But, as of January 2010, and for the first time in three years, an estimated 45 coho swam up Redwood Creek to spawn, creating 23 redds or clusters of eggs.^[57] In 2011, 11 live adult coho and 1 coho carcass was observed, along with three redds, a modest increase over the 2007–2008 spawning season.^[58] Statewide the coho population is 1% of its levels in the 1940s and the fish have vanished from 90% of the streams they formerly visited.^[59][60] TheWatershed Alliance of Marin reported that no salmon returned to spawn in 2014, prompting concerns that the fish may now beextirpated from the creek.^[61]

Muir Woods is home to over 50 species of birds.^[62] This relatively low number is due to the lack of insects. Thetannin in the trees repels the insects and the volume of flowers and fruits produced by plants below the canopy is limited by the shade of the redwoods.

It is occasionally possible to seenorthern spotted owls orpileated woodpeckers in the forest. While decreasing in numbers elsewhere, the spotted owls appear to be thriving in the monument and other evergreen forests in the area. A National Park Service monitoring project of the owls is ongoing within the monument. The project has found that adult owls are finding mates, raising young to adulthood and the young are having new broods of their own.^{[citation needed]}

The monument is home to a variety of mammals ranging in size from the small, four-inch longAmerican shrew mole to the much larger black-tailed subspecies ofmule deer,Odocoileus hemionus columbianus.^[63] The majority of the monument's mammals are either nocturnal or are burrowing animals that live underground or in the forest floor's denseplant litter. Most commonly seen areSonoma chipmunks andwestern gray squirrels.^[64]

Bears historically roamed the area but were largely exterminated by habitat destruction. In 2003 a maleblack bear was spotted wandering in various areas ofMarin County, including Muir Woods.

There are 11 species ofbats that call the monument home, often using hollows burned into the redwoods by past fires as a maternity colony.^{[citation needed]}

In November 2010sea otters (Enhydra lutris) have been spotted swimming in the new stream channel constructed in the lagoon area of Redwood Creek.^[57]

Muir Woods, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, is a park which caters to pedestrians, as parking of vehicles is only allowed at the very entrance. Hiking trails vary in the level of difficulty and distance. Picnicking, camping and pets are not permitted.

As of 2015, the park sees up to 6000 visitors per day during peak times (April to October, Thanksgiving weekend, and Christmas through New Years), more than 80% of which arrive by car, and most of the rest with a tour bus or shuttle bus.^[65] Currently, parking is extremely limited and lots often fill early in the day.^[66] The county and the National Park Service introduced a reservation system in early 2018 which restricts the number of vehicles allowed to enter and park in Muir Woods every day.^[67] Residents of neighboring Mill Valley had protested against earlier plans to set up an additional parking lot, and together with a group named "Mount Tam Task Force" sued to prevent the building of a shuttle bus station.^[65]

Reservations are required for all vehicles and shuttle riders since 2018.Marin Transit operates a shuttle on all weekends and holidays and during select peak weekdays, providing service to Muir Woods from Sausalito, Marin City, or Mill Valley (Route 66); the National Park Service recommends that visitors use the shuttle when it is operating to avoid difficulties in finding parking.

The NPS requires reservations made in advance for all vehicles and shuttle riders; a parking reservation is $8.50 per vehicle while a spot on the shuttle is $3.25 per person. Furthermore, an entrance fee of $15.00 per person is charged in order to gain entry to Muir Woods. The shuttle service and park are open every day of the year including holidays. The park is open from 8:00 am and closes at sunset.

There are no camping or lodging facilities in Muir Woods.^[68] The monument is a day-use area only. There are camping facilities in the adjacentMount Tamalpais State Park.

• Restrooms located in entrance plaza and cafe
• Muir Woods Trading Company cafe and gift shop – offers deli food items and souvenirs. The cafe also has a permanent display of historic photographs.
• The main trail (paved and boardwalk) through Muir Woods is a 2 miles (3.2 km) loop. A .5 miles (0.80 km) loop from the Visitor Center, through Founders Grove, to Bridge 2 and back is ADA accessible.

• The Visitor Center, located in the entrance plaza, features permanent and changing exhibits on redwood ecology and conservation, as well as a store selling books and gift items.

The paved/boardwalk main trail^[69] begins at the entrance plaza and travels into the old-growth redwood forest alongside Redwood Creek. Other unpaved walking trails extend from the main trail to connect with Mt. Tamalpais State Park trails outside of the monument boundaries.^[70]

Bicycles are only allowed on designated fire roads.

The annualDipsea Race, a footrace which goes betweenMill Valley andStinson Beach, passes through Muir Woods on the second Sunday in June. TheDouble Dipsea, later in June and theQuad Dipsea, in November, follow the same course.

Rangers and volunteers present 15-minute interpretive talks and guided one-hour tours when staffing permits. Program topics include redwood ecology and conservation, theimpact of climate change, and the history of Muir Woods. Longer hikes or other special programs are offered several times per month, and require a reservation.^[71]

Weddings, commercial filming, and special events are allowed in the monument only with a proper permit.^[72]

In 2018, more than 17.5 million visitors visitedGolden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument, andFort Point National Historic Site, and spent $1.2 billion in communities near the parks. The protections given to these areas by the federal government helped to  establish them as natural tourist destinations creating an attraction that brought positive externalities in the form of increased business to the surrounding communities.  According to the National Park Service, the spending and cash flow brought to the area through these visitors created 12,658 new local jobs and had a net benefit of $1.6 billion in additional revenue.^[73]

A peer-reviewed visitor spending analysis was conducted by economists Catherine Thomas and Egan Cornachione of theU.S. Geological Survey and Lynne Koontz of theNational Park Service. The report shows $20.2 billion of direct spending by more than 318 million park visitors in communities within 60 miles of a national park. This spending supported 329,000 jobs nationally; 268,000 of those jobs are found in these gateway communities. The cumulative benefit to the U.S. economy was $40.1 billion.^[74]

The popularity of Muir Woods as a tourist destination has created a great deal of congestion and delay on the two laneCalifornia State Highway 1. As a result, many civilians and residents living near Muir Woods and affected by the increased traffic on the pathway to the national monument have voiced concern with theNational Park Service. In response, policy was designed that would create a parking reservation system, detailed road shoulder parking limits and enhanced parking enforcement in order to combat the negativeexternalities caused by Muir Woods.

However, according to the Mount Tam Task Force, created to address the traffic concerns created by Muir Woods, the policy aimed towards fixing the issue has proved ineffective. The introduction of a website where all parking and shuttle reservations can be made, has helped to decongest the traffic to an extent. Despite the number of attending visitors trending downward at Muir Woods, parking and congestion remain^[when?] a problem for tourists and locals alike.^[75]

According to the National Parks Conservation Association, in an attempt to protect the wildlife and environment of Muir Woods, which is given certain protections due to theAntiquities Act, it is necessary to take care of the ecosystems of surrounding areas outside of park boundaries that have impacts on the wildlife and ecosystems within the park. As a result, the park is involved in restoration and conservation efforts inRedwood Creek at the Banducci Flower Farm site, which is managed by theGolden Gate National Recreation Area, and at Big Lagoon, which is outside the monument at Muir Beach, to improve ecosystem health andsalmonid habitat. These efforts typically require a mixture of effort from the National Park Service, federal, state, and local governments; and even private landowners. The restoration efforts in surrounding areas outside of Muir Woods have helped to protect and restore the habitats of wildlife and fish such ascoho salmon and thenorthern spotted owl.^[76]

TheNational Park Service and theGolden Gate National Parks Conservancy have worked together to restore the last 1/2 mile of theRedwood Creek before it enters the Pacific Ocean. Before restoration efforts, the Redwood Creek mouth functioned poorly in conveying water and sediment from a nine square mile watershed to the ocean. The National Park Service claims that for over 100 years agriculture, logging, and road-building increased the erosion and degradation of the creek.^[77] As a result, local species of coho salmon and steelhead trout were threatened. Moreover, due to the poor state of Redwood Creek, even moderate and slight storms would cause flooding leaving residents flooded and local roads untraversable. While technically within the protected lands of Muir Woods, the poor state of Redwood Creek was having negative effects on wildlife and the ability to travel to Muir Woods. The efforts to restore Redwood Creek illustrate a way in which the government protection of Muir Woods leads to positive benefits for the surrounding area.

American keyboardist and composerGeorge Duke composedMuir Woods Suite in 1993. The Suite, a major orchestral piece, was premiered and recorded live at theMontreux Jazz Festival.Japanese composerToru Takemitsu composed a three movement solo classical guitar piece called "In the Woods" in 1995. The third movement of the piece is called Muir Woods and it was inspired in this forest.

Characters played byJames Stewart andKim Novak visit the Muir Woods National Monument inAlfred Hitchcock's 1958 filmVertigo; however, the scene was actually shot inBig Basin Redwoods State Park.^[78]

The monument was a setting inRise of the Planet of the Apes (2011),Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) and the first act ofWar for the Planet of the Apes (2017), though all three films were in fact filmed inBritish Columbia,^[79] and none of the movie was filmed in the park, but the movie crew took pictures of Muir Woods' redwood trees and replicated them.^[80]

Jack Kerouac discusses hiking though Muir Woods in his 1958 novelThe Dharma Bums. It appears in theBig Hero 6: The Series, set in an alternate history thatSan Francisco was under much Japanese influence after the1906 earthquake, as "Muirahara Woods" in the eponymous episode.

• List of national monuments of the United States

Wikimedia Commons has media related toMuir Woods National Monument.

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