Before we decided on a destination for a quick winter weekend, we considered our parameters. We agreed that we wanted to go somewhere that had the feel of a cosmopolitan city with a world-class food scene.

We wanted to “eat our faces off” in the city and also immerse ourselves in nature. We wanted a dedicated afternoon of movement and awe. But nature couldn’t be more than a couple hours away.

Coming from San Diego County, Los Angeles felt too close. And as a city, LA feels more urban sprawl than what I typically think of when I think of a city. I’ve always wanted to visit the redwoods in Redwoods National and State Parks.

But it’s a six-hour drive from a major city. Enter San Francisco, and Muir Woods National Monument. 

Technically, Muir Woods is located in Mill Valley, just across the Golden Gate Bridge. The drive from our hotel in Union Square to the redwoods would have taken 30 minutes, except I had to pee along the way so we stopped at Whole Foods in Mill Valley. There, we also picked up some protein bars and juices that would hold us over until a late lunch in Sausalito afterward.

The Trail: A Three-Mile Loop Around Muir Woods National Monument

We chose to hike a counter-clockwise loop where we climbed up the Canopy View Trail from the Visitor’s Center before resting a bit under the trees at the turnoff for the Lost Trail. Then we continued down, stepping over knotted tree roots down the Lost Trail, through the lush Fern Creek Trail and back through the Founder’s Grove redwoods to the Visitor’s Center on the flat Redwood Creekside River Trail.

The temperature was in the high fifties that December day and virtually the entire hike was shaded by towering redwoods and festive Douglas firs. I started out on the hike with a beanie and my jacket buttoned up to the top.

By the time we transitioned from the wooden ramps and paved path that snaked around the redwoods (Founder’s Grove) and up the Canopy View Trail, my jacket was tied around my waist and my shirt’s long-sleeves bunched up my arms. The early burn and stiffness also melted away. 

We encountered only a handful of others along our route, and when I think back to that hike, I remember tracing the low-lying waters of Redwood Creek. It’s just the two of us, cracking jokes, walking in silence, enveloped by a biophilic haze.

The redwoods are so tall they block most of the sunlight from reaching the forest floor. The slanted shafts of gold that manage to pierce through the deep green and brown growth casts a divine glow.  

Quick Tips for Visiting Muir Woods National Monument:

  • Reserve your parking spot ahead of time
  • You can also pay for your admission when you reserve your parking
  • There’s a cafe onsite with inside and patio seating that shares space with the gift shop

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