What a beautiful sight! After winding your way up and down the roads to the forest, it is a great experience. The air is so clean and crisp and the smell of the pines and forest so refreshing. It was raining the day we went, but we did not let it dampen our spirits. It did, however, shorten our stay. There are trails up the hill that overlook the ocean, and because of the rain and cool temps, we decided to leave them for the next visit, but just walking the main trail is lovely. The ancient giant redwoods are magnificent, and everyone should be fortunate enough to see them at least once.

Trees. Lots of trees. Muir Woods itself is a well protected redwood forest, but more exciting is the trip out of the city getting there. It's scenic and winding, up and down cliffs and valleys. Pass up the camera in Muir Woods--it's almost impossible to get any photograph to come out clear in the foggy darkness of the forest. Its one of those things best appreciated in person.

I always thought the redwoods were off in some remote part of the Pacific Northwest. That may be, but there’s also a good-sized grove of these giants only 20 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Muir Woods National Monument is tucked into a valley along the aptly-named Redwood Creek. After checking the very limited displays in the visitors center, walk along the creek at least to Cathedral Grove to get a sense of the size and majesty of these big boys. The 0.8-mile-long main path is an easy, level walk. There are four bridges across Redwood Creek along the trail; people walk as far as they want, cross a bridge, and head back along the other side of the creek. The beauty of it is that, at each bridge, a high percentage of people cross over and head back, so once past bridge 3, it gets especially peaceful, allowing you to kick back and appreciate your surroundings.

Redwoods grow even taller than giant sequoias, but they’re thinner, with less bulk. Cathedral Grove has one tree that’s over 250 feet tall and another that’s 14 feet wide. Scientists report that most of the mature trees in Muir Woods are 500 to 800 years old, but some are more than 1,000 years old. That’s a lot of candles for any birthday cake!

Muir Woods is a short drive from downtown San Francisco and makes an attractive outdoor alternative to spending another day in the city. Take Route 101 north over the Golden Gate Bridge, exit onto Route 1 for Mill Valley, and follow the signs.

Muir Woods is a popular day trip for visitors to San Francisco. Many tour operators offer trips and pick-up from your SF hotel. We have done this in the past, but on this trip, we opted to instead rent a car and explore the area on our own. I can now say renting a car offers distinct advantages. First, you can arrive well before the hordes of tourists and enjoy the magnificent SILENCE of Muir Woods. When tour groups do begin to arrive, you will note people can be as noisy as a gaggle of seagulls! Second, tours do not include nearby Muir Beach or Stinson Beach, just a few miles up Highway 1. Thirdly, you can take in things at your own pace and not worry about being "back at the bus" at a certain time. As for Muir Woods themselves, the giant redwoods are majestic and FRAGRANT.

The National Park Service charges a nominal fee for day use, and maps of the paved (great for handicapped visitors) and unpaved, more primitive trails are readily available. Keep your eyes peeled, as perhaps you can be as fortunate as we were in spotting a famed "banana slug". Rangers also offer talks during the day on the ecosystem of Muir Woods. There is a gift shop, as well as a snack bar. We skipped the snack bar in favor of the nearby Pelican Inn, which I will discuss in another entry, as well as the beaches of Muir and Stinson.

Website: Muir Woods
Entry fee: $3 per person (17 and older)

Muir Beach and Muir Woods are named after famed naturalist, John Muir, whose writing advocated for conservation as an environmental ethic. Muir Woods is located 12 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge on Highway 101, and, if you have time for a day trip during your stay in SF, it is a sight to behold and not to be missed.

Muir Woods is home to the Red Wood tree. The Red Woods are billed as "the tallest living things." The Bohemian and Cathedral groves have the biggest trees in Muir Woods, one 252 feet tall and one 14 feet wide. Some of the trees are at least 1,000 years old. Venturing through the woods, you are profoundly impressed by the beauty and ancient, pre-historic quality of the surroundings. It feels magical, mystical, and medieval.

Muir Woods has loop walks in Redwood Canyon, and most of them are paved. For more rugged adventurers, unpaved trails out of the canyon link to the trails in Mt. Tamalpais State Park. I lacked the enthusiasm for a daylong hike, but spent about 2 hours going on a loop walk with my friends. By the end of the walk, I was so struck by the sublimity of the Red Wood trees, I was convinced I could live as a hobbit and set up house in the trunk of a giant Red Wood tree.