Admission to Muir Woods National Monument
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A great reason to visit California’s Bay Area is to visit Muir Woods National Monument. What makes Muir Woods special and different are the acres of giant ancient sequoia trees.
Muir Woods makes you humble. It’s not just the size of these giant trees, nearly 300 feet tall, that makes them difficult to capture in photos. Or how trees tower into space like green cathedrals.
Personally, I find visiting Muir Woods to be a spiritual and meditative experience. In fact, a sign at Cathedral Grove tells visitors to “enter quietly.” Many logs have green moss growing on them, and ferns and other green bushes cover the ground.
Muir Woods has six miles of hiking trails and is named after pioneering naturalist and “father of national parks,” John Muir. The main trail is only about a mile long. It begins at the visitor center and circles Redwood Creek on both sides of the river.
The forest floor is fairly flat. A wooden deck makes much of the loop accessible to wheelchair users and strollers, both of which I saw on a recent visit.
Some of the trees have split bottoms so you can take a selfie “inside the sequoia.” The history of Muir Woods is also interesting because of the struggle for its preservation and the fact that the founding members of the United Nations met at Muir Woods on May 19, 1945. The meeting was held “to honor the memory of our 31st president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt.” He is the supreme leader of the United States, the chief architect of the United Nations, and the apostle of lasting peace for all mankind. ” FDR He died of a stroke in April 1945.
A cross section of a giant sequoia tree in Muir Woods National Monument. Its origins date back to 909 AD. … [+] Historical events are engraved in tree rings. The tree was 1021 years old when it fell. Mount Tamalpais, Marin County, California, USA.
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But the end of World War II and the 80 years since the conference are but a blip in Sequoia’s life. Individual sequoia trees are much older than the 250 years old in the United States where they live. In fact, if you look at a slice of a sequoia tree, you’ll see that it was already 150 years old by the time William the Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Another tree dates from 909 A.D., predating the building of the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde in 1100 A.D.
Nevertheless, sequoias were considered as a resource. According to the guide, 96% of California’s redwoods have been cut down since the 19th century.
Why is redwood wood so loved? The builder admired the amazingly strong and gorgeous wood that he produced in California Decks by the millions. We installed a redwood deck on our first home in West Hollywood. It’s beautiful and the tannins in sequoia make it less susceptible to insects.
Currently, Sequoia is difficult to find at your local hardware store. But spot the towering sequoias at Muir Woods.
Muir Woods National Monument is home to one of the largest remaining giant tree groups on Earth.
MILL VALLEY, CA – AUGUST 20: Coastal redwood trees stand in Muir Woods National Monument in August… [+] 2013 2013 in Mill Valley, California. A four-year study by the Save the Sequoias Federation, called the Sequoias and Climate Change Initiative, shows that changing environmental conditions are causing sequoias and giant sequoias along California’s coast to experience unprecedented growth rates and grow faster than ever before. It turns out they are producing more wood than they did in the 1st century. At any other time in your life. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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These are coastal sequoias (Sequoia sempervirens). Coastal sequoias grow from northern California to Oregon. It grows best in moderate temperatures and near or in streams. Steelhead trout and coho salmon swim into rivers when the water is swollen by rain to spawn.
Muir Woods and Redwood National Parks, also in California, continue to be home to some of the tallest creatures on Earth. The largest tree in Redwood National Park is 379 feet tall and 22 feet in diameter. The bark alone is 12 inches thick.
Although the Sequoias at Muir Woods are not quite as tall, they still reach awe-inspiring heights. Muir’s tallest is over 258 in height, which is equivalent to the height of a 23-story building.
Sequoias are also the oldest living creatures on earth. Some examples in Redwood National Park are thought to be 2000 years old. Muir’s mature sequoias range in age from 500 to 800 years. The oldest ones may be over 1000 years old.
The redwood forests of Muir Woods have survived fires, floods, and logging that took away many of their kind.
Muir Woods National Monument
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Park admission is $15. Parking reservations are required. Like the sequoias, Muir’s Woods were in danger of being loved to death, so the National Park Service introduced its first reservation system here.
Muir Woods is about an hour from San Francisco by rental car or tour bus along a winding road past the Golden Gate. This trip is also part of the destination, as the nearby headlands offer stunning views of San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Although the reservation system is convenient, the road to Muir Woods can be busy with cars and bicycles. Bus tours that pick you up from San Francisco and leave you behind the wheel are offered by companies like TripAdvisor, Viator, and many others, and often cost less than $100 per person, including admission.
Parking and shuttle reservations can be made here. If you choose to take the ferry to Larkspur Landing or Sausalito Ferry Terminal instead of driving, there is no parking fee, but you must book a round-trip shuttle.
Muir Woods National Monument is located on the Pacific Coast in southwestern Marin County. [+] Part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, north of San Francisco, California.
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