I recently went on a quick hike in Muir Woods and can’t wait to go back and enjoy it, at a more leisurely pace. One of the main things you need to know before going is that Muir Woods requires that you make a parking reservation, in advance. We didn’t know that until we saw it on a sign and then couldn’t get a cell phone signal. We pull up and they tell us to go to Muir Beach, about 2.5 miles away, and we should be able to get a signal. We do that and all of the spots are taken. We did get out and walk on the beach, watched the surfers and looked for sea glass. It was very chilly, but beautiful. Since we couldn’t park, my husband ended up dropping me off for about an hour, to see the sights.
A little background on Muir Woods. In 1903 William Kent and Elizabeth Thacher Kent paid $45,000 for 611 acres of Redwood Canyon. Their goal was to save the land from commercial use and logging. In addition to being a conservationist, William Kent was also a politician. The views he held sound very familiar today. In a quote to a local newspaper Kent proudly states: “I have been writing and talking about the necessity of keeping this a white man’s country for the last 30 years.” Elizabeth Kent was a suffragist who testified before Congress and protested at the White House; where she was arrested twice.
In 1908, they donated 295 acres to the Federal Government. They asked that it be named after their friend, John Muir. Muir is know as, ” The father of the national park service.”. Muir convinced the government to make Yosemite, Sequoia, Grand Canyon and Mt. Rainier, all national parks.
The location may look familiar if you have seen the films Rise of the Planet of the Apes and The Lost World: Jurassic Park, among others.
Coast Redwoods are related to the Giant Sequoia. The can reach a height of nearly 380 feet. The tallest tree in Muir Woods is 258 feet high. Most of the Redwoods are between 500 and 800 years old. The oldest tree is around 1200 years old.
If you are planning a trip to Northern California, make sure you set aside time to visit this peaceful place in the woods.
Trek with Kim 