A California Local Suggests Skipping Muir Woods In Favor Of This Underrated Alternative For Majestic Redwoods

Naturalist John Muir once referred to a redwood forest near San Francisco as "the best tree-lover's monument that could possibly be found in all the forests of the world," according to Visit California. That area now bears his name. The Muir Woods National Monument is undeniably beautiful with its stunning groves of redwood trees. It's the only place in the immediate San Francisco Bay area where you can still find the old growth redwoods. However, after living near San Francisco for over a decade and having visited Muir Woods and other area parks and forests multiple times, I can tell you Muir Woods is pretty, but not so much that it's worth dealing with the hassle and crowds. Instead, I think it's well worth it to drive further to the less visited Big Basin Redwoods State Park, the oldest state park in California, which also has stands of old growth redwoods but is less crowded and easier to visit (if you have a car).

Why Muir Woods is less than ideal if you're hoping for a natural getaway. It's in Mill Valley about 45 minutes outside of San Francisco, and it's one of those places that seems to be bordering on overtourism. Muir Woods has required reservations for entry since 2018, and you book online for a half hour interval as to when you'll arrive. It sells out quickly, particularly in the summer.

You also have to reserve parking. It's $9.50 to park and $3.75 for the shuttle, and that doesn't include the $15 entrance fee. There's also a number of tour operators with bus tours to Muir Woods, and with all the people, it has the feeling of attending a tree theme park as compared to being able to commune with nature.

The main reason I can think of that you would visit Muir Woods over other parks in the area would be if you had limited time in the Bay Area and you really wanted to see a redwood forest. It can also be a bit more convenient if you don't have a car on your California vacation; there's a seasonal shuttle service from Sausalito and Larkspur Landing, and the ferry ride between San Francisco and Sausalito is beautiful and gives you great views of the city. You can technically get public transportation to Big Basin Redwoods State Park, but it's more of an ordeal.

Big Basin is in the Santa Cruz Mountains about a 90 minute drive from San Francisco. While it does get tens of thousands of visitors each year, that's nowhere near the number of people who come to Muir Woods. Muir Woods is also smaller than Big Basin, which doesn't help with crowding. Muir Woods has six miles of trails while Big Basin has many more. It's important to note that the CZU Lightning Complex Fire in 2020 ripped through much of the park, and some of the trails are still closed for restoration as of this writing. However, you can still see the giant old growth redwoods in the park on the Redwood Loop Trail. Redwoods are largely fire resistant, and it's incredible to see the resilience of these towering trees.

Along with Big Basin, there are more great places to see coastal redwoods near the Bay Area that don't have the crowds of Muir Woods. Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve near Half Moon Bay has redwood groves and ocean views and Portola Redwoods State Park near Silicon Valley has a 300-foot-tall redwood in its forest.