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True to its name, Panoramic Highway winds through the slopes of Mount Tamalpais with forests, ridgelines, and scenic viewpoints appearing around nearly every bend. Follow this beautiful mountain road toward Muir Woods while watching the landscape shift between redwood forest, open hillsides, and distant coastal scenery.
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Golden Gate Bridge
10m · Admission ticket not included
One of California’s most recognizable landmarks, the Golden Gate Bridge connects San Francisco with Marin County across the dramatic Golden Gate strait. Take in sweeping views of the bay, Pacific Ocean, and city skyline as you cross; pedestrians can walk the bridge for free, while vehicles traveling southbound pay a toll.
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Rising high above Marin County, Mount Tamalpais offers forests, winding mountain roads, hiking trails, and spectacular views toward San Francisco Bay and the Pacific. Discover how the mountain became a popular recreation destination and once welcomed visitors aboard the famously twisting Mount Tamalpais Scenic Railway.
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This narrow, winding road descends through the hills toward the sheltered redwood canyon of Muir Woods. Enjoy the increasingly lush scenery as you approach the monument, but plan ahead if driving—parking at Muir Woods requires an advance reservation and spaces frequently sell out.
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Long before it became Muir Woods National Monument, this sheltered valley was known as Redwood Canyon and formed part of the homeland of the Coast Miwok people. Its cool, moist conditions protected stands of ancient coast redwoods, creating the extraordinary forest visitors still walk through today.
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Muir Woods National Monument
10m · Admission ticket not included
Walk beneath an extraordinary old-growth forest where coast redwoods rise hundreds of feet above the canyon floor. Protected as a national monument in 1908 and named for conservationist John Muir, this peaceful forest offers accessible walks, longer hiking trails, and an unforgettable chance to stand among some of the world’s tallest trees.
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10m · Admission ticket not included
Begin your walk through the redwoods at the park’s main visitor center, located just inside the entrance. Stop for maps, trail information, ranger guidance, and books about the forest before setting out along the main trails beside Redwood Creek.
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10m · Admission ticket not included
Take a break beneath the redwoods at this café and retail stop inside Muir Woods. Browse souvenirs and locally themed gifts or grab food and refreshments before continuing along the forest trails deeper into the monument.
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Founders Grove
10m · Admission ticket not included
Step into a historic grove honoring some of the people who helped protect Muir Woods for future generations. Look for the tree and plaque dedicated to pioneering conservationist Gifford Pinchot in 1910, then continue beneath towering redwoods along the monument’s main walking route.
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One of the most peaceful sections of Muir Woods, Cathedral Grove contains some of the monument’s tallest and oldest redwoods and is designated as a quiet area. It also holds an important piece of world history: United Nations delegates gathered here in 1945 for a memorial ceremony honoring President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
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Flowing beneath the towering trees, Redwood Creek is the natural lifeline of the Muir Woods ecosystem. Follow trails beside its waters while learning how the creek supports redwoods, ferns, wildlife, and important native species including threatened steelhead trout and endangered coho salmon.
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Dipsea Trail
10m
One of Marin County’s best-known historic trails, the Dipsea stretches roughly seven miles between Mill Valley and Stinson Beach and passes through the Muir Woods area. Follow part of this challenging route through redwoods and grassy hills while discovering the trail that inspired the famous Dipsea Race in the early 1900s.
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This peaceful grove inside Muir Woods reveals redwoods marked by fire scars, unusual burls, and fallen logs supporting new forest life. Its name dates to 1892, when San Francisco’s Bohemian Club camped in this very part of Redwood Canyon before eventually establishing its better-known retreat farther north.
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California State Route 128
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Follow one of California’s legendary highways as it curves through Marin County’s hills and coastal landscape. This stretch of Highway 1 connects travelers with roads leading toward Mount Tamalpais, Muir Woods, Muir Beach, and other scenic destinations along the rugged Northern California coast.
