Muir Woods National Monument - Mill Valley, California

Rumplestiltskin

Absolutely magical place! My wife and I were blown away by the wild, untouched beauty of this park. There are no man-made trails — just raw nature. We walked through tall grass, climbed over rocks, and followed natural paths shaped by animals and weather. It felt like we were deep in the wilderness, far from the noise of the world.

The air was unbelievably fresh — clean, crisp, and filled with the scent of pine and earth. All around us we heard birds singing, leaves rustling in the wind, and the occasional snap of a twig underfoot. It was peaceful, wild, and deeply grounding.

We arrived at 8:00 a.m., and I strongly recommend coming early — parking is just $8, but spaces are limited. The early morning light shining through the trees made the entire place feel almost magical.

If you love raw nature, adventure, and silence broken only by birdsong — this place is pure gold. Five stars without hesitation

Manisit D.

This is a gorgeous national parks service unit with lush forests with mighty tall trees. You can spend an hour to do a couple of miles of hike and experience the forest. Close to San Francisco and easily accessible. Highly recommended! Reservations are typically required ahead.

nicole B.

Very accessible up to bridge 3. After that, it gets muddy.
For the canopy route, good shoes or boots are required, or you may slip.
Very, very busy hike. Kids, strollers, families until bridge 3.
It costs $15 a person. It took us a little over an hour to explore what we wanted to see. I would have done more, but I had to carry my work computer and backpack due to smash and grab issues at the parking lot.
Recommend you leave your stuff in a hotel. If you cannot because you are passing through, recommend skipping and taking a vacation to a park with bigger trees and better parking lot security.
You can take a ferry over. It is about a $60 uber ride back to Nob Hill area

Tomi B.

It was absolutely gorgeous!!!! I would live there ifni could. The staff was all so kind. It wasn't HORRIBLY busy on a Saturday.
You DO HAVE TO GET PARKING PASSES BEFORE HAND. But my double stroller was just fine. It was a great trip

Mikayla B.

This is a must if in San Francisco! We loved getting out of the city and strolling the flat and level main hiking route. We only had a couple hours here but you could easily spend all day here. It is absolutely stunning. Be mindful not to wear any strong scents to not disturb the wildlife.

Karen B.

Get there early in the day with the reserved parking it's no joke popular & lots fill fast but a great way to experience the Redwoods & learn! Very family friendly. Lived seeing the special loaner wheelchairs for the terrain. Had a little bite in the café after and shopped in the cute gift shop.

Sophia W.

Went on a free day. The shuttle is very wind-y and curvy so if you get car sick easily be prepared for that. The trees are stunning and the Hillside trail is relatively easy. The paths are well maintained and easy to walk on. Park rangers are all very friendly and knowledgeable.

Robyn P.

Try out the park's loaner wheelchair if you don't have your own specialized all-terrain mobility equipment!

This forest has done a beautiful job of blending accessibility into the environment! Much of the hiking trail is a boardwalk but there are some uneven rooted areas that you'll want to have that padded wheelchair with air-filled tires!

How lucky are we to have this old-growth forest in our backyard?! Worth the drive!