Muir Woods is a short drive (12 miles) north from San Francisco and is a part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. This National Monument is known for its forests filled with coastal redwood trees, some of the biggest trees in the world. The area is often blanketed in fog which adds a mysterious atmosphere to any visit, and also helps the redwoods survive in the drier summer months.
HIking Trails
Dad O'Roarke's Bench - (0.6 miles, easy) - a short walk to one of the best views in the area
The Main Trail - (2 miles, easy) - one of the most popular trails in Muir Woods follows a stream with mid-sized redwoods on either side.
Dipsea and Steep Ravine Loop - (3.9 miles, moderate) - get away from the crowds and climb through a cool canyon as you walk through the forest.
Tourist Club Loop - (4.5 miles, moderate) - Backdoor entry to Muir Woods on an uncrowded trail where you can enjoy scenery (and a bar!) most visitors never see.
The Sun Trail - (4.5 miles, moderate) - one of the best scenic loops up to a grassy hillside above Muir Woods.
The Ben Johnson Trail - (5.2 miles, moderate) - a loop along a grassy ridge and through old-growth redwoods
Willow Camp and Steep Ravine (8.5 miles, strenuous) - a challenging hike down to Stinson Beach with scenic views of the coast.
Dad O'Roarke's Bench - (0.6 miles, easy) - a short walk to one of the best views in the area
The Main Trail - (2 miles, easy) - one of the most popular trails in Muir Woods follows a stream with mid-sized redwoods on either side.
Dipsea and Steep Ravine Loop - (3.9 miles, moderate) - get away from the crowds and climb through a cool canyon as you walk through the forest.
Tourist Club Loop - (4.5 miles, moderate) - Backdoor entry to Muir Woods on an uncrowded trail where you can enjoy scenery (and a bar!) most visitors never see.
The Sun Trail - (4.5 miles, moderate) - one of the best scenic loops up to a grassy hillside above Muir Woods.
The Ben Johnson Trail - (5.2 miles, moderate) - a loop along a grassy ridge and through old-growth redwoods
Willow Camp and Steep Ravine (8.5 miles, strenuous) - a challenging hike down to Stinson Beach with scenic views of the coast.
Trails
Summary
Difficulty
Distance
Muir Woods and Tourist Club Loop
Backdoor entry to Muir Woods on an uncrowded trail where you can enjoy scenery (and a bar!) most visitors never see.
Backdoor entry to Muir Woods on an uncrowded trail where you can enjoy scenery (and a bar!) most visitors never see.
Moderate
4.5 mi/
7.2 km
7.2 km
Muir Woods National Monument Exploration
You may not think of salmon when visiting the redwoods in Muir Woods, but it's home to a population of Coho Salmon.
You may not think of salmon when visiting the redwoods in Muir Woods, but it's home to a population of Coho Salmon.
Moderate
6.0 mi/
9.7 km
9.7 km
Coast View Trail Loop, Mt Tamalpais State Park
Perfect Mt. Tamalpais coastal scenery, Muir Wood redwoods and a chance to quench your thirst at an old British pub.
Perfect Mt. Tamalpais coastal scenery, Muir Wood redwoods and a chance to quench your thirst at an old British pub.
Moderate
8.5 mi/
13.7 km
13.7 km
Muir Woods via the Bootjack Trail
Beat the crowds by walking to famed Muir Woods. 6-mile moderate hike.
Beat the crowds by walking to famed Muir Woods. 6-mile moderate hike.
Moderate
8.9 mi/
14.3 km
14.3 km
West Point Inn, Mt. Tamalpais SP
Explore the remnants of a bygone era on the slopes of Mt Tamalpais.
Explore the remnants of a bygone era on the slopes of Mt Tamalpais.
Moderate
9.0 mi/
14.5 km
14.5 km
Bay Area Wildflower Hikes
Springtime brings a remarkable wildflower show to Bay Area hills
Springtime brings a remarkable wildflower show to Bay Area hills
n/a
35 mi/
56 km
56 km
Guides
Backdoor entry to Muir Woods on an uncrowded trail where you can enjoy scenery (and a bar!) most visitors never see.
Deep woods and towering vistas await at Marin County's most famous peak
Springtime brings a remarkable wildflower show to Bay Area hills
Explore the remnants of a bygone era on the slopes of Mt Tamalpais.
Perfect Mt. Tamalpais coastal scenery, Muir Wood redwoods and a chance to quench your thirst at an old British pub.
Beat the crowds by walking to famed Muir Woods. 6-mile moderate hike.
You may not think of salmon when visiting the redwoods in Muir Woods, but it's home to a population of Coho Salmon.
Community Trips
Muir Woods NM/Mt Tamalpais: Bootjack, TCC, Ben Johnson
Tamalpais Valley, California, United States
7.4 miles
7.4 miles
Muir Woods Main Gate - Main Tr - Bootjack - TCC - Ben Johnson - Hillside. For those who can handle 7+ miles of hiking, this loop is a must-do for Muir Woods.
Muir Woods NM/Mt Tamalpais: Dipsea, Sun, Redwood, Ocean View Loop
Tamalpais Valley, California, United States
4.8 miles
4.8 miles
Muir Woods Main Gate - Dipsea - Sun - Redwood - Ocean View - Main. A nice loop hike in light rain/fog. Finding a parking spot was the hardest part of this hike - I didn't know it was the "visit-the-national-parks-for-free week".
A beautiful hike, even though it was foggy most of the time. We were planning on following Trailspotting's Muir Woods and Tourist Club Loop guide, but we took a wrong turn after the Muir Woods exit and we turned right (South) on Dipsea Trail instead of left (North). Like the guide suggested, we parked in the lot across from the Mountain Home Inn. We found the trail head at the North end...
Parked in Muir National parking lot. Took the Dipsea trail to top towards Stetson Beach. Crossed over onto Fire Road trail and started doubling back. Realized my mistake and reversed back to intersection and onto the Ben Johnson trail. This trail goes through the heart of the National Park and back to the parking lot.
Return leg of hike. Hiked in on a parallel trail that was 1 mile long.
Return leg of hike. Hiked in on a parallel trail that was 1 mile long.
Wilma lead the Montclair Hiking Club on a wonderfully cool hike through Muir Woods on an otherwise hot Bay Area day. We started with a walk on the boardwalk. We then moved beyond the many tourists to hike the Redwood and Boot Jack trails to Van Wyck Meadow; then Alpine to Pan Toll Ranger Station for lunch. Finally, we returned via Staplevelt (off to the left) and Dipsea/Ben Johnson trails.
Reviews
