Muir Woods National Monument

Muir Woods National Monument is a national monument run by the National Park Service in California.

In the park service’s words

Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908, this primeval forest is both refuge and laboratory, revealing our relationship with the living landscape. What will you discover in Muir Woods?

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Things to do

• Muir Woods Birdwatching (1 to 2 Hours): Birdwatching in Muir Woods
• Whale watch from Muir Beach Overlook (0 to 2 Hours): Whale Watch from Muir Beach Overlook
• Hike the Main Trail at Muir Woods (1 to 2 Hours): Visit the historic, infamous redwood forest at Muir Woods!

Fees and hours

Entrance fee: $15 per person. The America the Beautiful pass covers it. Parking: Parking/shuttle reservation fees are separate from entrance fees and are required for all vehicles and shuttle riders. Visit GoMuirWoods.com to reserve parking/shuttle tickets and pre-purchase entrance fees.

Hours: Daily, 8:00AM - 5:00PM. Muir Woods is open every day of the year, with exceptions for inclement weather and hazardous conditions. Our core winter hours are 8 am- 5 pm; in the spring, summer, and fall we are open later based on increased daylight hours. Updates on closures will be posted as an alert to the website and on social-media pages.

Getting there

From San Francisco: Muir Woods is located 11 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Take Hwy 101 North --> Mill Valley/Highway 1/ Stinson Beach Exit --> Follow the signs to Hwy 1 --> Follow the signs to Muir Woods From the north: Take Hwy 580/Richmond/San Rafael Bridge West --> Hwy 101 South --> Take the Stinson Beach/Mill Valley Exit --> Follow the signs to Highway 1 --> Follow the signs to Muir Woods No vehicles over 35 feet. Vehicles over 17ft need an oversized parking spot. More info below:

Drive times run from the airport to Zion Canyon Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.

Miles are straight-line distances.

Visitor centers

• Muir Woods Visitor Center: Daily, 8:00AM - 4:30PM. Muir Woods is open until 8:00 am until approximately sunset. The Muir Woods Visitor Center is open 8:00 am to 30 minutes before the park closes.

Weather

The coast redwood forest is cool most times of the year with temperatures ranging from 40 - 70 F/ 4 - 21 C. Always come prepared with layers. From late October to early May, expect cool weather & possible rain. Summer months (June-August) can be warmer, but it is generally cool and dry. Expect heavy fog in the morning, burning off in the afternoon. Often, the fall (September-October) is the warmest time of year.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Know before you go

Drones are banned at almost every park site, and you may not take rocks, plants or artifacts. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet where they are allowed. Bring no firewood from home.

Nearby

The nearest national park is Pinnacles, about 125 miles away in a straight line.

Sources

• National Park Service Data API: Muir Woods National Monument (public domain)
• Official website

Last checked 1 November 2026.