Reservations are required for parking and the shuttle.
Muir Woods is an ancient remnant of the redwood forests that once covered large areas of North America.
These amazing trees are now rare, and can now be found in only three places on earth: remote canyons in California, Oregon and China.
Everyone should experience the beauty and peace of this magical redwood grove at least once! And a gorgeous collection of these 1000 year old giants is only 12 miles north of San Francisco.
People come from all over the world to walk among these magnificent, ancient trees. But Muir Woods has become almost too popular, so I'm including some tips to help visitors enjoy this amazing park.
The New Reservation System is in effect.
Visitors must have a reservation for:
Reservations can be made online or by phone. See Muir Woods reservations , or 800 410-2419.
Reservation info. Reservations can be booked up to 90 days in advance.
There is also a park entrance fee of $15 (16 and older), but you don't need to do that in advance. There are 232 parking spaces ; no roadside parking is allowed.
Parking fee of $9 is for a "standard" car. Medium vehicles are $30 and large vehicles $45.
Important: because there is no cell phone service in Muir Woods, if you are going to use your cell phone to show your parking or shuttle reservation, download it before you come. Also, reservations are not transferable, so they must me in your name.
But people being dropped off, arriving on tour buses, or by Uber, Lyft, or taxi, won't need reservations to enter the park. Only visitors driving or taking the shuttle will have to plan in advance.
Muir Woods Entrance Fees:
$15 for ages 16 and over.
Annual Muir Woods Pass: $45 for one person plus three guests.
Free for holders of National Park Passes . See passes for how to get one.
Muir Woods Hours:
Muir Woods is open 365 days a year.
Open 8:00 am till sunset.
Visitor Center (trail maps) opens at 8 am and the Cafe & Gift Shop opens at 9 am.
The No No's: no pets (except service animals), no picnics, no camping, no smoking
Visiting San Francisco and don't have car? The easiest way to see Muir Woods is to take a tour.
The tours from San Francisco will get you to the front entrance and you'll be picked up there when it's time to return. You can experience the serenity of Muir Woods without spoiling it with traffic stress, taking multiple buses, or trying to get a parking reservation!
And now, trying to take public transportation has become even more laborious due to bus scheduling limitations because of Covid (more on that below).
All of the tours available for Muir Woods are combination tours with one or more other attractions. You can walk among these wonderful trees, and also visit the charming seaside village of Sausalito, see the wine country, sail on the bay, or tour San Francisco itself.
I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through some of the affiliate links on this page, at no extra cost to you. See disclosure policy . This helps me provide all the free information on the site. Thank you!
Muir Woods & Sausalito
Muir Woods & Sausalito. Ride across the Golden Gate Bridge on a guided tour to Muir Woods and Sausalito.
The bus tour takes you to Muir Woods first, where you have an hour and a half to wander the trails among the big trees.
After Muir Woods, the tour takes you to the seaside town of Sausalito for an hour to eat, browse the shops and galleries, and admire the views.
You can also stay longer than the planned 60 minute stop in the town and take the ferry back to San Francisco instead of going back with the tour bus.
This would give you more time to explore, plus a gorgeous ferry ride across the bay (highly recommended).
You have a choice of morning or afternoon departure times from Fisherman's Wharf.
Entry fee to Muir Woods in included.
See Muir Woods/Sausalito tour for more info and booking. 4 hours.
Muir Woods and the Wine Country
Explore Muir Woods and the Wine Country all in one day. You're picked up at your hotel, then it's off to explore the redwood groves of Muir Woods.
After enjoying the ancient forest, your guide takes you up to both Sonoma and Napa Valleys for wine tasting at three wineries. Tastings are included.
Optional gourmet lunch with wine pairing in Sonoma.
Park entrance fee included. Hotel pickup. 10 hours.
For more info and booking, Muir Woods/Wine Country tour .
Muir Woods, Sausalito and a Bay Cruise
Have a guide take you north to Muir Woods to experience the beauty of walking amongst the world's oldest and tallest trees. 90 minute stop.
See Sausalito with its charming waterfont and shops, then spend an hour sailing on the bay, past Alcatraz and out under the Golden Gate. Great views!
Muir Woods entry fee included. 6 hours.
For more info and booking, see Muir Woods/Sausalito/Bay Cruise tour .
Muir Woods, Sausalito and a City Bus Tour
See the main attractions of San Francisco on a small group bus tour, then explore then redwood groves of Muir Woods and the seaside town of Sausalito.
See all that in one day!
See Muir Woods/Sausalito/City Bus Tour .
See below for other ways to get out to Muir Woods. In a nutshell:
The Muir Woods shuttle will start running daily on June 19, 2023 (weekends and holidays only prior - change of seasons).
Advance reservations required for the shuttle and for parking.
Redwood forests have been tucked into these misty canyons along the California coast for thousands of years, and some of the giant trees in Muir Woods are over 1000 years old. The coastal redwood is the world's tallest tree.
California has two varieties of redwoods: the coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and the giant sequoia (Sequoia dendron giganteum).
"Sequoia" comes from the name of Sequoyah , the Cherokee who invented an alphabet for his people's language.
Muir Woods has coastal redwoods, which are also found in a number of special spots up and down the coast. The giant sequoias are found in several parks on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains (in Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks).
Differences: the coastal redwoods grow to only (!) about 20 feet wide, while the giant sequoias are up to 40 feet wide. Both species can be over 300 feet tall, with the coastal redwoods reaching about 60 feet taller.
Redwoods as a species are beyond ancient; they have been on earth for 150 million years and used to live all across the Northern Hemisphere. Individual redwoods can live over 2000 years, and are amazing survivors due to some interesting characteristics of their structure.
Muir Woods is just one of a number of beautiful national parks in Northern California.
For ideas for visiting some other gorgeous parks in the northern part of our state, check out the redwoods, volcanoes, mountains and lakes in this guide to Northern CA's national parks .
Fire is good for redwoods. These trees are helped when forest fires burn out the undergrowth; seeds can reach the soil easier, and are less likely to be damaged by fungus and bacteria living in the brush.
In addition, the bark of a coastal redwood is at least 6 inches thick, and can be up to a foot deep. That, plus the high tannin content, makes the redwood quite resistant to fire.
No bugs! The tannins that resist fire damage also make the tree unappealing to insects. You will notice a minimal number of flying insects and creepy-crawlies while strolling in the grove; another happy fact about redwood forests!
Life in the fog belt. Coastal redwoods need a damp, drippy environment. As a result, they live only within the fog-drenched strip of land that runs along the ocean from Northern California up into Oregon. They get moisture directly from fog condensing onto their leaves as well as from water that drops down to the forest floor.
These redwoods tend to be found in canyons near the ocean, where they are protected from the wind, near streams, and where shade and fog create a milieu where they can flourish.
Fairy Rings and Cathedrals. Because of the way redwoods reproduce, they sometimes create majestic circles of trees that look like they were planted. In addition to dropping seeds from their small cones, redwood trees grow lumps called burls on their roots and bases. These burls can sprout and grow into trees if the parent tree is damaged or dies. The trees remaining after the original tree has died and decomposed are often standing in circles.
Cathedral Grove in Muir Woods is one of these impressive arrangements.
Timber! Coastal redwoods have very shallow roots for their height and weight and as a result are known for falling over. Californians living in redwood areas are aware of the hazard; it's not unusual for these trees to come down in a storm. Unfortunately, they're not as stable as many other species.
The oldest redwood in Muir Woods is over 1200 years old! Many of the trees in the grove are over 600 years old.
A number of animals make their homes in Muir Woods, but it is not heavily populated because a redwood forest is not the best place for them to find food. Black-tailed deer come out to feed at dusk and dawn, and chipmunks and squirrels are around most of the time.
Muir Woods has a funny way of telling people not to feed the wildlife.
The abundant coyotes of Marin County don't come in much and the official word is that mountain lions haven't been seen here, though they are definitely living on Mount Tam. I'm almost certain I saw a mountain lion run across the path when I was hiking on Mount Tam years ago.
There are no poisonous critters in Muir Woods. You might see a garter snake or rubber boa, and salamanders, lizards, and banana slugs are residents as well. Banana slugs have 27,000 teeth (!) but only eat decomposing plants.
Coho salmon (endangered) live in Redwood Creek that runs through Muir Woods. The young salmon live in the creek for a year, then migrate to the ocean for another two or three years.
At around three to four years of age, they swim over 100 miles to get back to Muir Woods; they navigate (possibly) using the earth's magnetic field and find their home stream by smell when they get close. The adult salmon average 28 inches and return during the winter rains (November through January) to spawn and die. The eggs hatch in the spring.
Tip: the baby salmon are in the creek year round, and the best place to look for them is from the bridges. They can be anywhere from 1/2 an inch up to 8 inches, depending on time of year.
Here's an idea of what they look like at this stage:
Steelhead trout also call Muir Woods home.
The often-mentioned, endangered, Northern Spotted Owl lives in Muir Woods, but they sleep in their nests in the tree tops during the day, so they are rarely seen.
Early History. The Miwok Indians who lived in this area probably never lived in the Muir Woods canyon itself, since they normally settled in areas close to their marine food supply. The first European to own this land was William Richardson, who got a land grant from the Mexican government in 1838.
Gold! The extensive logging that followed the discovery of gold in 1949 cleared out much of Marin County's timber, including many stands of ancient redwoods (as well as eliminating the grizzly and black bears, who never returned). But the trees in Muir Woods survived because the canyon was so rugged. The mountain lions and coyotes are still around, though the lions are rarely seen in Muir Woods itself.
Muir Woods had a close call and almost didn't make it. In 1905, the local water company tried to have the land condemned so they could dam the creek running through it, but the owner, Congressman William Kent, donated the land to the federal government.
In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt declared Muir Woods a national monument, only the 7th one to be created. The park was named after John Muir, the well-known environmentalist and founder of the Sierra Club.
Muir Woods is a long, narrow stretch of redwood forest that follows Redwood Creek, in one of the steep canyons on the western side of Mount Tamalpais. It's located only 12 miles north of San Francisco, about a 20 minute drive from the Golden Gate Bridge.
As you can see on the map below, the trail through Muir Woods goes through a series of bridges that cross Redwood Creek. The bridges make it easy to figure out how far you want to go and how much time you need.
The trail is paved or has wooden planks all the way to Bridge 4, so it is an easy, flat stroll, and wheelchair accessible, all the way to the last bridge.
The trail passes on both sides of the creek from Bridge 2 to Bridge 4, so you can loop back on a different path.
The first thing many people notice about Muir Woods is the silence. There is a stillness there that is remarkable, perhaps in part due to muffling aspect of the trees and steep hillsides, and the absence of wind. Even the birds seem quiet there. In winter and spring, the creek is full, and you'll hear the sound of rushing water.
The named groves are particularly impressive clusters of large redwoods.
The Bohemian Grove. This stand of redwoods is where the famous (or notorious?) Bohemian Club held a meeting there in 1892, complete with a 70 foot statue of the Buddha (long gone).
The Founders Grove. This recently-named grove is dedicated to the men who were instrumental in saving Muir Woods. The boardwalk has been expanded and the PInchot Tree is here (a big one).
The paved pathways are gradually being replaced by redwood plank footpaths.
The Cathedral Grove. This is my favorite spot. A beautiful enclosure of towering redwoods, aptly named.
It was here on May 19, 1945, that the U. N. delegates came for a ceremony to honor President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The delegates from 50 countries were in San Francisco to create the United Nations, and the president died just before the signing of the charter.
One of the trees in this grove, an enormous 800 year old redwood, fell over in 1996, and you can see it lying against the hillside where it fell.
Muir Woods is part of the Mount Tam system of trails. There are over 50 miles of trails criss-crossing Mount Tam, and several leave from or pass near Muir Woods.
Here's a good map of the Muir Woods trails: see trail map .
I've listed a couple of popular hikes below. For a great resource listing all the hikes in redwood forests throughout California, see redwoodhikes.com .
Ben Johnson/Dipsea Loop: an all-day hike, moderately strenuous. Starts at Muir Woods, just off the overflow parking lot. Then follow the Ben Johnson Trail to the TCC Trail, then the Stapleveldt Trail, joining with the Dipsea Trail, and back down into Muir Woods. See hike for map and details.
Sun Trail: another all-day, moderately strenuous hike, which takes you up on the hillside east of Muir Woods, past the cool Tourist Club chalet, then along the Redwood Trail, Lost Trail, and Fern Creek Trail before rejoining the trail in Muir Woods. Leaves from the main parking lot. See hike for map and details.
You'll see the Visitor Center as you approach the entrance to Muir Woods. This is the place to pick up a trail map.
The Cafe is a cosy, rustic spot to recharge after your hike. They have a nice assortment of sandwiches and pastries, plus salads and fruit, all from local farms.
Cheddar onion scones...yum! Even peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. Plus some interesting honey sticks at the register (we tried the tasty cinnamon and blueberry ones).
The Gift Shop next door has lots of wooden items made of redwood, and some pretty turquoise jewelry. Even baby redwood trees! But where would you put one?
Without a car
It's a fairly easy drive to get to Muir Woods; it's only about 20 minutes from San Francisco (unless you hit commuter traffic during the rush hour-ugh). The real challenge is getting rid of your car once you're there!
Reservations are required for parking.
From SF: head north over the Golden Gate Bridge on Highway 101, and take the Mill Valley-Highway 1-Stinson Beach exit. follow the signs to Highway 1, then the signs to Muir Woods.
From the East Bay: take Highway 580 over the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge (west), then go south on Highway 101. Take the Stinson Beach-Mill Valley exit, then follow the sign to Highway 1 and Muir Woods.
Parking at Muir Woods is a painful subject. There are two, rather small parking lots near the entrance, and that's it! Somehow, they'll supply 232 parking spaces.
N o parking is currently allowed along the road; before, the cars used to stretch out along the road for miles during the high season.
Only parking in the lots is allowed, and all parking places must be reserved in advance; no parking permits will be sold at Muir Woods.
To reserve a parking spot , go to parking reservations . Look in the upper right corner of that page and click on the date you want and "reserve now". The bookings for the shuttle and parking are on the same page.
Over a million people visit Muir Woods every year and it has gotten so popular, it's become a threat to the natural environment.
The narrow mountain roads and limited parking just weren't made for the numbers that want to see the park, so this plan is designed to take some of the load off.
Disabled parking. There is a lot for holders of disabled parking permits next to the Visitors Center, and visitors can also be dropped off in front of the entrance. There are 8 disabled spaces available and they must also be reserved in advance through the new reservation system.
Tour bus parking. There is also an area where the tour and school buses park, close to the entrance.
If you want to drive in, and weren't able to get a parking reservation, a great alternative is to reserve a spot on the Muir Woods shuttle.
It's $3.50 roundtrip for travelers 16 and older, free for kids.
Note: you must have reservations for the shuttle. They are specific for a specific time, or 30 minute window. You can't buy a ticket at the bus stop. To reserve it, see shuttle reservations (top right of that page).
Tickets: your tickets will be sent electronically, and can be printed out, or you can use the digital version on your smart phone (but there is no cell phone reception in Muir Woods, so you'll have to load it on your screen before you arrive if you need to display it there).
Marin Transit passes and Clipper Cards aren't accepted for the shuttle.
The shuttle runs weekends and holidays from Larkspur Landing and weekdays from Sausalito , at Bay and Bridgeway. Both shuttle stops are the ferry landings.
The shuttle runs weekends and holidays only until June 19, 2023, when the weekday service is added. In summer season the shuttle runs daily.
For the current schedule , see Muir Woods shuttle (Marin Transit Route 66).
Tip: the Larkspur Landing shuttle has a free parking lot so it's better for driving there. The Sausalito shuttle is probably better for people taking the ferry because parking is tougher.
Insider tip: don't plan on taking the last shuttle out of Muir Woods; it may be full, and you won't get on. Then it's calling Uber or a taxi from the pay phone (no cell phone service)!
One of the easiest ways to get to Muir Woods without a car is to take a tour from San Francisco ( see above ).
Other than taking a tour, the choices are taking a bus or ferry from San Francisco to Sausalito or Larkspur.
Going by bus....
Weekends and holidays:
Weekdays:
Weekends and Holidays:
Both ferry rides take about 30 minutes, and cost $13-14 one way. These ferries don't fill up so there's no need to make reservations or buy tickets ahead of time.
But note: Visitors must have reservations to take the shuttle; no tickets are sold by the bus driver and Clipper cards aren't accepted.
Uber and Lyft ride services are both available in the Bay Area.
Nice, because you get dropped off at the front door and don't have to stress over parking!
How it works. For those not familiar with these services, these companies hire regular folks with cars (and no criminal or bad driving history, supposedly!) to drive people here and there.
They have apps you can download and when you put in a request online, any driver in the area can agree to accept the trip. You are told who your driver is and can see where they are on the map via GPS. You pay online so no money changes hands during the trip. Lyft is a local SF company, works like Uber.
Warning! There is no cellular reception in Muir Woods, so you can't use your cell phone to get a return ride! They even post warning signs on the inside of the bathroom stalls because it's been such a problem. The solution is to use the pay phone (remember those?) at the entrance to call for your return ride, or to make arrangements in advance.
Yes, in san francisco and beyond.
In San Francisco . There are actually redwood groves in the city of San Francisco itself. Not as impressive or ancient, mere infants compared to the Muir Woods trees, but pleasant and serene.
There is a pretty, 100-year-old grove in the San Francisco Botanical Garden , and another grove of 60 tall trees at the foot of the Transamerica Pyramid . Hard to think of a more unlikely location! Most people, including locals, don't know it's there.
The Transamerica grove was planted on the former location of a famous Bohemian establishment; Mark Twain, Bret Harte, and many other famous writers used to hang out there. You can also see the jumping frog fountain built in Twain's honor.
Golden Gate Park also has several redwood groves tucked here and there. For more on the groves, plus an overview of the many gardens in the park, see Gardens in Golden Gate Park .
Big Basin Redwoods, Santa Cruz. If you have a car, there is a gorgeous, large, old-growth redwood forest in the Santa Cruz Mountains, about an hour and 20 minute drive from San Francisco.
There are 80 miles of hiking trails in Big Basin Park , and lots of campsites among the redwoods. We went camping there when my son was little and it was lovely, in spite of some very bold raccoons who joined us for dinner!
Fun Tip: there is a cool excursion from the Santa Cruz Boardwalk up to the redwood forest on an old steam train . It used to be used for logging, but now visitors can ride this historic train up into the mountains, through the tall trees, and across the river gorge on a trestle bridge.
The train leaves from in front of the boardwalk in Santa Cruz and goes up to Roaring Camp in the mountains. Takes 3 hours roundtrip, and costs $41.95 for adults. See Roaring Camp Railroad for more details.
For a shorter trip , 75 minutes round trip, Roaring Camp Railroad has another steam train ride through the redwoods that goes higher up into the mountains, also crosses a gorge and runs on a narrow gauge track.
This trip leaves from Roaring Camp in Felton, just outside of Santa Cruz. Costs: adults $39.95. See Roaring Camp Train Ride for more info and booking.
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Celebrating experiences.
By Chirasree Banerjee
Last Updated On April 7, 2022
In Nature , United States
Bay Area’s Redwood forests are beautiful and are a photographer’s and hiker’s paradise.
The sight of emerald-tinged light filtering through the redwood trees, some of the tallest and oldest living things on earth, is magical.
A hike among the giants is the most pleasing way to get up close and personal with them. There are plenty of options in the San Francisco Bay Area to experience nature at its finest amidst the redwood forests.
This comprehensive guide about the Bay Area’s Best Redwood Hikes will help you choose a location for your next hiking adventure.
Mount tamalpais state park, henry cowell redwoods state park, samuel p. taylor state park, reinhardt redwood regional park, the redwoods in joaquin miller park, purisima creek redwoods preserve, big basin redwoods state park, portola redwoods state park, bear creek redwoods open space preserve, redwood grove nature preserve, sanborn county park, mt. madonna county park, uc berkeley botanical garden, armstrong redwoods state natural reserve in sonoma county, redwood tree facts, where can we see dawn redwoods, tips for hiking in the redwoods, similar articles from travel realizations.
The Muir Woods National Monument , the grove of centuries-old coastal redwoods in Marin County, is one of the most popular Redwood parks in the Bay Area .
Deep within the vaulted chamber of redwoods, relish the solemn stillness and silence and enjoy the sudden darting rays of sunlight.
No doubt it will be a magical encounter with a living landscape. Entrance Fees: $15.00-Adult (16 years of age and older) Free-Children (15 years of age and under).
Choose one among the many trails for a hike and enjoy your day. Go on a hike amidst redwoods and come back feeling invigorated and inspired.
Pro tip: Avoid the crowds by coming early or on a weekday.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Chirasree Banerjee (@travelrealizations)
Majestic Mount Tamalpais (Tamalpais comes from the Coast Miwok word “Tamalpais” meaning “bay mountain” or “coast mountain”) rises from the heart of Marin County.
The panorama from the 2,571-foot summit is magnificent. The park has several lovely paths, but the Steep Ravine Trail leads hikers through a grove of towering redwood trees along Webb Creek.
If you have some time left, take the Dipsea Trail , the 1.5 miles trail to Stinson Beach for some spectacular ocean views.
This beautiful trek in Mount Tamalpais State Park offers a taste of everything — a stunning ocean panorama, lush coastal forest, and a chilly damp canyon chock-full of ancient redwoods.
Plan this trip on a clear day for the best views.
Pro tip: Also if you are a redwood and waterfall lover then the Cataract Falls hike near Mount Tamalpais is a lovely option. But don’t stop there! There are numerous other state parks in the North Bay area offering equally captivating experiences.
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park located in the Santa Cruz mountains is one of my favorite South Bay state parks .
It has some of the tallest trees in the Bay Area. This park is most famous for the 40-acre grove of towering old-growth redwoods. The largest tree is approximately 277 feet tall and 1,500 years old.
The Redwood Grove Loop Trail at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park is my favorite and is an easy hike. It is a one-mile loop hike that will take you through a stunning forest of skyscraping redwood trees.
Whenever I visit, I simply get lost amidst the beauty of this redwood trail. I listen for birds in the canopy of the trees and notice that the woods are quieter than I expect.
You can also enjoy hiking, horseback riding, and picnicking here. Right beside the visitor center, it has great picnic areas.
Pro tip: The Redwood Loop Trail is a great option for a short hike (under two miles). If you are in the mood to go for a long hike, try the Cowell Highlights Loop ( 5.9 miles) which has amazing views of the surrounding area, redwoods, and water.
The redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always. No one has ever successfully painted or photographed a redwood tree. The feeling they produce is not transferable. From them comes silence and awe. It’s not only their unbelievable stature, nor the color which seems to shift and vary under your eyes, no, they are not like any trees we know, they are ambassadors from another time. John Steinbeck
Also Read: 30 Top Weekend Trips from San Francisco – A Getaway Guide
The thrill of seeing a redwood tree is a feeling that never gets old and refreshes with each new encounter. Samuel P. Taylor State Park, located in Marin County, has miles of hiking and biking trails .
The shady stroll through the stately redwoods along Lagunitas Creek is beautiful. This trail features towering redwoods, a rushing creek, and an abundance of wildlife.
This moderate 3-mile hike is a must-do for Redwood lovers. It has miles of trails that wind through impressively tall redwoods and Douglas firs.
There are also streams, creeks, and waterfalls to enjoy. So get out there and explore the Redwoods! This is one of my favorite state parks close to San Francisco .
Pro tip: If you have an hour, picnic among the redwoods beside Lagunitas Creek. The area has lots of picnic tables.
Read More: Delve into these posts and discover a treasure trove of scenic hiking trails, an enchanting taste of wilderness, and mesmerizing landscapes!
A hidden redwood forest located in East Bay hills, Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park is a great option for a beautiful redwood hike.
Redwoods are awe-inspiring, and hiking among them is a memorable experience. I highly recommend Stream Trail and French Trail , for a lovely hike.
These trails wind through the redwoods making for a relaxing escape with your family from the busy city life.
Pro tip: The parking area can be found at the Skyline Gate Staging Area at Pine Hills Drive.
Redwood time moves at a more stately pace than human time. To us, when we look at a redwood tree, it seems to be motionless and still, and yet redwoods are constantly in motion, moving upward into space, articulating themselves and filling redwood space over redwood time, over thousands of years Richard Preston
Named after the famous poet Joaquin Miller, this park is located in the Oakland Hills and has a great variety of trails to explore. It is a great option for hiking lovers.
The recommended hike here combines the two most scenic parts of the park: a lush redwood-filled gorge on the Palos Colorados Trail and a hilltop redwood grove on the Big Trees Trail.
The sunlight of a sunlit land, A land of fruit, of flowers, and A land of love and calm delight; A land where night is not like night, And noon is but a name for rest, And love for love is reckoned best. Where conversations of the eyes Are all enough; where beauty thrills The heart like hues of harvest-home! Joaquin Miller
Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve is a 5,412-acre preserve located on the western slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains, overlooking Half Moon Bay .
Its close proximity to the coast makes it an excellent spot for summertime escape and relief from the Bay Area heat while you enjoy views that include old-growth redwoods to sweeping vistas of the Pacific ocean.
The main attraction here is the Purisima Creek Canyon, an abundance of hiking trails that run through stunning Redwood groves, rushing creek, ferns, berries, and wildflowers.
Recommended Trails – Purisima Creek Trail and Craig Britton Trail Loop.
This open space preserve truly has it all and is perfect for a day trip . I enjoy hiking amongst the ravishing Redwoods in this beautiful park.
To be honest, it feels like I am trotting through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park in Humboldt sometimes.
Pro tip: You can also start at the North Ridge Trail for a bit challenging hike
Big Basin Redwoods is California’s oldest state park but a massive wildfire raged through the park, damaging much of the forest.
Interestingly, Redwood trees in the grove of old-growth redwoods, some of them 2,000 years old survived the fire.
You can hike the Redwood Loop Trail which is a 0.5 miles flat trail. The Redwood Loop Trail is a short and easy trail that will take you through a stunning Redwood forest.
Although the wildfire damage is evident, the experience of hiking through these majestic trees is still magical.
If you are in the mood for a long hike, then hiking the Berry Creek Falls trail is a great way to spend a day.
Pro tip: On your way to the Big Basin Redwood State Park in California , visit a hidden gem – Taungpulu Kaba- Aye Monastery – located amidst redwood trees.
P.S: Big Basin is closed indefinitely due to the August 2020 lightning fire. Please check the status before you go .
This beautiful state park is located in the Santa Cruz Mountains and is home to some of the oldest Redwoods in California.
The park features several trails , ranging from easy to strenuous. A trip to the Peters Creek Grove at Portola Redwoods State Park may be the most awe-inspiring hike in the Bay Area.
The 11.9-mile round trip leads you through old-growth redwood forests and onto a scenic canyon full of towering trees!
The sanctity that this grove brings will move anyone who visits, making it worth every ounce of effort put into walking these paths.
I felt wonderful under the mighty branches of the redwoods while being surrounded by nature’s beauty.
Pro tip: The Old Tree Trail is a great option for a short-distance hike (less than two miles). At the end of the trail, meet the big tree that stands alone.
This coast redwood tree is one of only 14 redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains that are more than 300 feet tall and estimated to be about 1,200 years old.
For a longer and more strenuous day hike, try the Peters Creek Loop.
The Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a beautiful preserve located in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
It is one of Santa Clara County’s best-preserved, second-growth redwood forests. Most of the trees here are less than 150 years old.
This preserve in South Bay has several miles of trails that wind through redwood groves and oak woodlands.
The best trail for redwood lovers in Bear Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is the 2.5-mile Alma Trail . This is a great place for a day trip from San Jose.
Pro tip: Near the parking lot enjoy a self-guided interpretive trail that circumnavigates Upper Lake.
Redwood Grove Nature Preserve in Los Altos is home to some beautiful Redwoods. This 6-acre Redwood grove is perfect for a quick Redwood fix.
It is easily accessible from the parking lot with a boardwalk that intertwines with Adobe Creek. The Redwood Grove Nature Preserve is perfect for a leisurely stroll through a beautiful redwood forest, at any time of the day.
You can also enjoy hiking, birding, and picnicking here. It is a serene place in the middle of Silicon Valley .
Pro Tip: Free parking available on University Ave.
Sanborn County Park is a 3,453-acre park located in the Santa Cruz Mountains between Saratoga and Skyline Boulevard. Relax in the Peterson Grove and hike towards the Todd Creek Redwoods Grove.
The Sanborn County Park’s hiking is spectacular, with its towering Douglas firs and tranquil madrone- and tanoak-covered hills.
The Todd Creek Redwoods Grove adds to the majesty. This 5.6-mile forest view loop leads you into lushly wooded gorges and a shady redwood forest.
Pro Tip: Begin your hike from the Sequoia parking lot
Less than 15 minutes from Gilroy, you can whisk away to a quiet haven of redwoods gently swaying in the wind at Mt. Madonna County Park.
It is a Santa Clara County park located on the slopes of Mount Madonna, one of the highest peaks in the southern Santa Cruz Mountains.
The park offers stunning views of Monterey Bay and the Santa Clara Valley Silicon. The redwoods here are some of the tallest in Santa Clara County.
Take a lovely, quiet walk through the redwoods here. Follow the Mount Madonna Loop and Lower Miller Trail .
Mather Redwood Grove is located in the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden. Mather Redwood Grove is a stunning grove of redwoods with a beautiful amphitheater built right in the center of a ring of redwoods planted in the 1930s.
It is a beautiful and peaceful place to take a stroll and admire these magnificent trees.
Redwood hikes in Big Sur are some of the best in the Bay Area. There are a variety of hikes to choose from, depending on your level of fitness and interest.
Whether you’re looking for a challenging hike or a leisurely stroll through a redwood forest, there’s a hike for you in Big Sur .
I recommend two trails that are my favorite too – Pfeiffer Falls Trail – a 1.4-mile easy scenic hike along Pfeiffer Big Sur Creek through one of the park’s finest redwood groves.
It ends at a 60-foot high waterfall. And not t forget the Oak Grove Trail – I love the variety of ecosystems here, beginning with redwood groves, open oak woodlands, and dry chaparral.
Pro Tip: There is something magical about breakfast at Big Sur Lodge. Here, you are surrounded by the natural tapestry that defines Big Sur. It is the perfect place to relax and take in all the beauty.
Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve is a beautiful park located in Sonoma County, offering the onlooker great inspiration and a place for quiet reflection.
This Serene, 805-acre reserve is home to coast redwood trees; a living reminder of the magnificent primeval redwood forest.
The oldest living redwood tree in the grove is the Colonel Armstrong Tree. The park has several hiking trails, making it a great place to explore the Redwoods.
This is one of the closest redwood groves to San Francisco . Recommended trails are the Discovery Trail and the Pioneer Nature Trail .
Coast Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), Giant Sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum), and Dawn Redwoods (Metasequoia).
Coast Redwoods are the tallest known tree species in the world and are native to Humboldt County, growing in the cool climate that makes up the coastal regions of northern California.
The slightly shorter Giant Sequoias are only found in the western Sierra Nevada mountain range.
The Dawn Redwood is native to central China and is considered to be the closest relative of the coast redwood.
Hiking is a great way to get outside and enjoy nature. The Bay Area has some of the best redwood hikes in California . The mere sight of redwoods is breathtaking and awe-inspiring.
It’s tough to comprehend how a living thing could survive hundreds of years withstanding fire, floods, and windstorms, and thankfully some of them have been spared the woodman’s ax, which has ravaged so much of the original forests.
They are magnificent specimens to behold and admire. I hope this comprehensive guide will help you find a beautiful redwoods hiking trail that matches your requirement.
Whether it be a shorter or longer hike (or somewhere between), there’s sure to be one that you’re looking for. So select a beautiful redwood hike in the Bay Area and indulge in forest bathing among Redwoods!
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Hello. My name is Chirasree. I have been traveling for almost 11 years to places all over the world. I enter into a separate reality during my travels and enjoy the allure of escape from the mundane. I seek beauty through nature and human-made creations. Because beauty is powerful. I seek knowledge. I observe, absorb, and write about the places I visit and the profound realizations and inspirations that each place has to offer.
11 best bed and breakfasts in napa valley.
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Hello. My name is Chirasree. I have been traveling for almost 15 years to places all over the world. I enter into a separate reality during my travels and enjoy the allure of escape from the mundane. I seek beauty through nature and human-made creations. Because beauty is powerful. I seek knowledge. I observe, absorb, and write about the places I visit and the profound realizations and inspirations that each place has to offer.
I lived in Switzerland for six years and dwelled in absolute beauty, day and night. The house of Charlie Chaplin in Vevey , the house of Herman Hesse in Lugano,
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Y ou’re blushing! my sister cries with delight. We’re playing on the front steps of our London house and have just heard skateboard wheels approaching. I am 13 and in love with the skateboard’s owner, a boy who lives up the street whom I’ve never actually spoken to. He has long sandy hair and an American accent. Basically, he’s Kurt Cobain. It’s magical and mortifying and a secret —except it’s not, because it’s written all over my face.
If the eyes are the window to the soul, then our cheeks are the back door. What other part of the body so readily reveals our hidden emotions? Embarrassment, exuberance, delight, desire, all instantly communicated with a rush of blood. It’s no wonder that blush has been a mainstay of makeup bags for decades: Ancient Egyptians used ground ochre to heighten their color; Queen Elizabeth I dabbed her cheeks with red dye and mercuric sulfide (which, combined with the vinegar and lead concoction she used to achieve her ivory pallor, is believed to have given her blood poisoning); flappers applied blush in dramatic circles to achieve a doll-like complexion, even adding it to their knees to draw attention to their shorter hemlines.
Can something so classic become new again? In the latest take on blush—seen everywhere from the fall runways of Chanel and Dior to the red-carpet looks of Gigi Hadid and Ayo Edebiri—rouge is no longer relegated to the cheekbones, but worn expansively across the face, or even across the bridge of your nose. The new blush is dynamic, constitutionally opposed to the idea of contouring: You’re not trying to fix your face in 3D, emphasizing your sphinx-like planes and angles; you’re signaling to the world that something has happened to you—emotion, exertion, or some combination of the two.
However, the line between rosy and rosacea is undeniably thin, and so before I endeavor to re-create any of these looks, I solicit the advice of experts. “I always apply blush as the last step in my beauty routine,” Peter Philips, creative and image director of Christian Dior makeup, advises. “And I like to build it up slowly to avoid any regret.” When asked about his inspiration, Philips says, rather poetically, “Everywhere men and women are immortalized in great light” and inadvertently gives me the directive I will, for the rest of my life, use when asking someone to take my photo. Armed with this catchphrase, I attempt my first dialed-up blush look with Dior Rouge Blush Colour & Glow in Riviera, a subtle peachy pink—it’s feminine and fresh but not hugely audacious. I add extra layers to build an expansive bloom, then add some to my chin and forehead. Next I dare myself to try Dior’s Rosy Glow in Pink, a hue so electric I cannot find an apt point of comparison. Peonies? A tropical sunset? The color it most reminds me of is Lil’ Kim’s iconic pink hair from the ’90s. Blush is daring, I tell myself, then start powdering.
My first stop is my living room, where my husband (a fellow Brit) is rapturously watching England play soccer with our eight-month-old son bouncing on his lap. I wait until halftime before looming my face in his direction.
“How do I look?” I ask, tilting my cheeks from side to side.
“Pretty!” he says confidently.
He falters.
“...Pink?” he hazards.
He’s not wrong, sweet man, but I’m seeking a more specific endorsement.
“It’s giving Kirsten Dunst in Marie Antoinette, ” says a friend I meet for lunch. “You look like you just ran a marathon,” declares another.
For my next attempt, Violette, Guerlain’s creative director of makeup, talks me through her process. She recommends sfumato, the technique perfected by Leonardo da Vinci of creating imperceptible transitions between light and shade. “Applying blush where blood flows enhances a healthy and natural appearance,” she says, “unlike applying it to just the cheekbone, which can look structured or unnatural.” I start with Guerlain’s Terracotta Blush in Light Nude, then add accents with the Deep Nude hue from the same collection. Somehow I look like I just slept 12 hours. Blush is rest, I think.
After a few days of the sfumato look, which I also re-create with Chanel’s sumptuous Cream-to-Powder blushes, I pivot from powder to its playful little sisters, lip and cheek stains. There are lots of good options in this category: Milk Makeup’s Cooling Water Jelly Tints and Clinique’s Pop Lip + Cheek Oil in Black Honey, but I find myself returning most often to Benefit’s Benetint, the cult-followed crimson stain, created in 1976, and the first item of makeup I ever bought.
As I rub the familiar solution into my cheeks, I’m transported to being 13 again, waiting for the sound of skateboard wheels. Because how could I have forgotten? Blush is youth. Both a connection to it and a re-creation of it. But what is underneath our desire for youth, for health, for passion—all the many things blush represents?
For me, the answer became clear when my son was born. He was two months premature and not very well; one of the first hopeful signs of his progress was when his cheeks turned from pallid to pink. By the time he finally came home, his face had the same glow as the cherry blossoms on our street. Only then did I feel he was safe. Of course, I think, adding yet another layer of crimson to my already rosy cheeks. No wonder we want more of it, as much as we can get. Blush is life.
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My child, youre not going to write an article tonight? Oh, I must. My husband sent me here to write it and telegraph it tonight. Impossible! That is cruel. Telegraph your husband that you have a headache!
I want to sleep. You can sleep any time. This is great.
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