Muir Woods National Monument ⓘ

~20 million years before present: Coast redwoods begin growing in California. Coast Redwoods grow elsewhere in the world up to ~60 million years before present, until which time present-day coastal California was covered by a shallow sea.

13,000 years before present: The redwood canyon is part of the homeland of the Huimen, a tribe of the Coast Miwok people . The present-day land of Marin County and Muir Woods is the land of the Coast Miwok, a part of the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria . 1838: William Antonio Richardson receives a land grant from the Mexican government for the land south of Mount Tamalpais, including Redwood Canyon (now known as Muir Woods) and the town of Sausalito. He names it Rancho Sausalito 1840: The population of Huimen Coast Miwok people before European arrival was estimated around 3000. In 1840, the population is estimated around 300 people, a delicne of 90%. This is due to the effect of Spanish Missions, European disease, and slavery. 1855: Riddled with debt, Richardson sells Rancho Sausalito to Samuel R. Throckmorton. Throckmorton later uses the land for a hunting and fishing resort. It becomes his “pride and playground”. He sets up large fences to keep out trespassers and jealously guards the existence of the old growth redwood forest within. 1889: After Trockmorton’s death, the land is acquired by the Tamalpais Land and Water Company. They begin to auction off the land for development. September 3, 1892: The Bohemian Club considers purchashing Redwood Canyon as a home for their summer resorts. They camp in the forest for two weeks , and build a large 43-foot statue of Daibutsu Buddha in an area later to be known as the Bohemian Grove. This statue gradually deteriorates over time; there is currently no evidence of the statue or the summer encampment in Muir Woods. After their two week camping trip, they decide the forest did not serve their needs. They instead purchase a redwood forest further North, leaving Muir Woods to an unknown fate. 1900: The population of Huimen Coast Miwok people before European arrival was estimated around 3000. In 1900, the population is documented at 6, all of whom are mixed ancestry. This is due to the effect of Spanish Missions, European disease, and slavery. 1903: The last bear in Muir Woods is killed. Mountain Lions, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, and river otter populations fade from the area. No brown bears have been seen in Marin County since the early 1900’s due to being hunted to a local extinction. Black bears are only seen rarely.

September 1903: Prominent Marin and San Francisco residents meet to discuss the prospects of Mt. Tamalpais being a National Park. Speakers at the event included William Kent and Gifford Pichot . The movement later fails after a crucial landowner raises the price by over 60%.

November 1904: The California Club , a women's club based in San Francisco and started by Laura Lyon White , picks up the campaign. This time, their sole goal was to save Redwood Canyon. This includes pledging to raise $80,000 to purchase the forest, and raising public support. Early 1905: The movement fails due to having a hard time finding the funds. Lovell White, husband of Laura Lyon White and the banker who was overseeing the sale of the Canyon, was inspired to keep searching for an owner that would preserve the forest. According to White family lore, Lovell may also have been fulfilling a bargain he made with Laura Lyon White. If she had another child, he would financially support her causes. Laura had fulfilled her part of the bargain by bearing a son several years earlier. Accordingly, Lovell was willing to drop the price to a steeply discounted rate in order to help save the forest, a cause Laura Lyon White was passionate about. Early 1905: William Kent tours Redwood Canyon with the owner of the Mt. Tamalpais Railroad, and conceives of a plan to purchase the forest and recoup his money through business. He purchased the forest with a large weakness: while he purchased the land, the water rights in the forest were purchased by the North Coast Water Company.

1905: William Kent and Elizabeth Thacher Kent acquire the property now known as Muir Woods. They purchase 300 acres at the time, for the discounted sum of $45,000. Though the Kents are considered wealthy, they do not have much in the way of liquid assets; they secure a loan from a sympathetic banker friend. Elizabeth questions the expense, but is convinced by her husband's (perhaps joking) response: "If we lost all the money we have and saved these trees, it would be worthwhile, wouldn't it?" April 18, 1906: The San Francisco earthquake occurs at 5:12am at a 7.9 magnitude. 80% of the city of San Francisco is destroyed, primarily due to fires started by the earthquake. Over 200,000 people are left homeless. The earthquake made people more sympathetic for logging redwoods to rebuild cities. June 8, 1906: The United States Congress passes the Antiquities Act, giving the President of the United States the right to declare National Monuments, areas of historic or scientific value, by presidential Proclamation.

May 19, 1945: Delegates from all over the world meet to draft and sign the Charter of the United Nations. President Franklin D. Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945, shortly before he is to have opened the United Nations Conference. On May 19, the delegates hold a commemorative ceremony in tribute to his memory in Muir Woods' Cathedral Grove, where a dedication plaque is placed in his honor. 1985: The first prescribed burn at Muir Woods is conducted. It is located at the Deer Park Fire Road and Dipsea Trail with the primary goal to reduce hazardous fuels. It is followed by prescribed burns in 1991, 1996, 1997, and 1998. October 17, 1989: The Loma Prieta earthquake occurs at 5:04pm at a 6.9 magnitude. November 1998: The last prescribed burn at Muir Woods is conducted. The burn is located above the Ben Johnson trailhead, at a total of 35 acres.

May 19, 1995: The United Nations and the National Park Service hold a special commemorative ceremony in tribute to the life of Franklin D. Roosevelt and to honor the founding of the United Nations and its achievements in its first fifty years.

July 8th, 1996: An 800 year old redwood tree topples in the Cathedral Grove of Muir Woods National Monument. About 50 awestruck visitors watch as the 200-feet-tall, 12-feet-wide redwood monarch falls with a roar that could be heard all the way to the parking lot, almost one half mile away. The tree, which topples gracefully up-slope causes no damage and requires no clean up. The tree remains where it fell, providing nutrients to the soil, nesting for birds, bedding for plants and water for everything. It can be viewed today in its final resting place just to the left of the United Nations plaque honoring Franklin D. Roosevelt, in the Cathedral Grove of Muir Woods.

January 9, 2008: Muir Woods celebrates its centennial , with 100 years as a National Monument. 2008: Cathedral Grove is designated as a quiet zone. Visitors are asked to explore the area quietly and take a closer examination of the sounds of the forest by reducing their noise pollution. 2009: Muir Beach restoration project begins to provide a healthier ecosystem for plant and animal life of Redwood Creek. The project focuses on creek and floodplain restoration, helping to increase the capacity of the creek to transport sediment and water, reduce flooding at higher elevations of the floodplain, and better support species such as the endangered Coho salmon, the threatened steelhead trout, and the threatened California red-legged frog. The project lasts for approximately 5 years, with maintenance of the area ongoing. March 28-29, 2014: The Muir Woods BioBlitz takes place. Over 320 volunteer scientists, and 9,000 families, teachers, and students from across the world conducted a comprehensive inventory of the plants, insects, mammals, birds, and other species of Muir Woods and the surrounding Golden Gate National Recreation area. The first-ever canopy survey of redwoods at Muir Woods is conducted, giving scientists new information about the height, age, and condition of the trees. January 2016: Muir Woods Redwood Renewal project begins with the introduction of the parking reservation system. The 5-stage project aims to protect the fragile resources of Muir Woods. Projects include parking reservation and shuttle system, water and wastewater service rehabilitation, salmon habitat enhancement and bridge replacements, accessible trails, and Muir Woods road improvements.

The old growth forest of Muir Woods represents a fragmented island of the redwood stands that existed 150 years ago. Muir woods is now the last remaining contiguous stand of old growth coast redwoods in Marin County. The abundance of birds and periods of song vary with time of day, season, and weather conditions. The greatest variety of avian activity occurs during the spring mornings. The most commonly seen include the clever common raven , tiny Pacific wren , blue Steller's jay , and dark-eyed junco . Marin also is home to one of the few stable populations of the old-growth forest dwelling spotted owls , at least some of whom live in Muir Woods and the Mount Tamalpais watershed area. At least 69 bird species occur within Muir Woods, the majority of which are small neotropical migrants such as the Pacific-slope flycatcher , golden-crowned kinglet , and chestnut-backed chickadee . Old-growth forests - like we have at Muir Woods - offer large and old trees, rich understories, and high amounts of large woody debris. Many bird species rely on this unique habitat and cannot survive in other environments. Ground-cover - such as dense shrubs, mosses, and ferns - help ground-nesting birds to hide their otherwise-exposed nests from predators. In living and dead trees, tree-cavities and deep grooves offer space for cavity-dwelling birds to nest in. This is also good habitat for insects, an essential food source for some species. While many birds rely on old-growth forests, 95% of the original old-growth redwood forests have been cut down for timber. In order to protect these birds, we must protect the old-growth forest habitat that they depend on.

Some visitors remark that they saw fewer birds than expected in this kind of forest. There are several explanations for this:

Anyone can observe birds! While equipment like binoculars can be helpful, you don’t need them. Of course, please remember to always stay on trail during your visit to not damage habitat.

We thank the many birdwatchers who have contributed their observations to the Park and invite you to also do the same. For local reports on recently spotted birds - and to contribute your own - check out the information about Muir Woods bird sightings on INaturalist , a platform where the public can submit wildlife and plantlife observations.

Muir Woods is famous for its old-growth redwoods, but these trees define just one of several plant communities - groups of different plant species that live in the same area.

From shady creeks to windswept ridge tops, different environmental conditions support a wide range of plant life. The flow of water, the coastal fog, the orientation and slope of the hills, and the frequency of disturbances like fire and flood all influence what plants will grow.

Trees of mixed ages and a multi-layered canopy provide habitat for animals, including fire scars that shelter bats and standing dead trees that offer cavities for birds. The dense redwood canopy filters the sunlight, allowing shade-loving plants like ferns and redwood sorrel to grow on the forest floor.

Between early summer and late fall, precipitation is rare in the park. But moisture arrives in another form: coastal fog. Low clouds develop above the Pacific Ocean and are pulled inland. Coast redwoods use foliar uptake to drink fog water directly through their leaves. The fog condenses on the redwoods’ leaves and drips down, providing precious water to the ecosystem below.

In this part of their range, redwoods grow mainly in creek valleys and lower slopes, while reaching higher on shady north-facing hillsides. Companion plants include Douglas-fir (which can also grow to more than 300 feet), tanoak , California bay laurel , and beaked hazelnut . Perenial ferns and redwood sorrel as well as seasonal wildflowers like trillium , Andrew’s Clintonia , and fetid-adder’s tongue dot the forest floor.

The redwoods stand straight and tall, but along Redwood Creek, other trees angle their branches over the water, reaching for sunlight through gaps in the canopy. This riparian – or creek-side — community includes species adapted to life along the water.

Here, red alder lines the creek and stabilizes the soil with its roots. Bigleaf maple , a deciduous tree with dinner plate-sized leaves, glows golden each fall. Farther downstream, arroyo willow lines the creek but does not grow under the redwoods. Along with redwoods and ferns, these trees cool the creek with their shade and benefit the survival of salmon eggs . Common herbaceous plants include Western azalea and scarlet monkeyflower . Elk clover grows seasonally along streambanks, as does the flaming orange leopard lily .

Intense winter rains occasionally disturb the creek. Flooding can be beneficial by increasing diversity of plant life along its banks and releasing nutrients from creek floor sediment.

Redwood forests are quiet and deeply shaded places in which wildlife may seem rare or absent entirely. After all, it's easy to remain unseen in this dense forest. Many of the forest creatures are nocturnal while others live high in the forest canopy or in the soil or deep duff on the forest floor. In truth, redwood forests are surprisingly lively places. This page outlines some of the commonly-observed wildlife.

Birds are some of the most-noticed animals in the park. The most common include the clever common raven , bright blue Steller's jay , and dark-eyed junco . Take a moment to be quiet and listen for bird calls during your visit. The tiny Pacific wren has a remarkable and melodious song, while pileated woodpeckers can be heard hammering on decaying wood as they search for food. Marin also is home to one of the few stable populations of the old-growth forest dwelling spotted owls , at least some of whom live in Muir Woods and the Mount Tamalpais watershed area. At least 69 bird species occur within Muir Woods, the majority of which are small neotropical migrants.

Among the larger mammals, black-tailed deer can be observed grazing on redwood sorrel or moving through the forest. A type of mule deer, they are smaller than most other deer in North American. In terms of predators, the coyote helps control populations of small animals such as rodents, rabbits, and some birds. Healthy coyotes tend to avoid humans, but often leave scat, or poop, on trails to mark their territory. The park also has bobcats , mountain lions, and black bears , though they are exceptionally rare to observe.

Smaller mammals like the Sonoma chipmunk live in burrows and disperses seeds. The Western gray squirrel eats the seeds from pine cones and lives in coniferous trees. Both are active year-round and contribute to the local food chain. Nocturnal rodents, such as woodrats and deer mice , help break down plant material and contribute to seed dispersal. Pocket gophers are also important to the park’s ecology, as their tunneling aerates the soil, benefiting plant growth.

Other nocturnal animals like raccoons and skunks thrive in the park, foraging along trails and around trees. Although rarely seen, the gray fox regulates small mammal populations, while opossums help control insects and small animals, playing an important role in maintaining the park's biodiversity. Like birds, several species of bats live in the forest, using echolocation to swoop over the stream and between trees to catch insects. They often live in cavities in the tree trunks. While it may be tempting to enter the tree hollows, please always remain on trail and do not disturb these habitats.

Ten species of bats have been observed by researchers in Muir Woods National Monument. That is nearly two thirds of the bat species found in the central coast of California. Five of the bats are Federal Species of Concern.

Bats find refuge in the cavities of the giant redwood trees within the monument. They use these cavities as day roost for sleeping, night roosts for resting in between foraging, and for maternity roosts. These tiny but long-lived mammals are probably some of the least understood animals around. Getting to know bats is like getting to know a whole new world. Often called “mice with wings,” bats are actually more closely related to primates than to rodents. Other than humans, bats are the longest lived mammals for their size in North America. Bats have the night-time shift, resting in the daytime and hunting over large tracts of land through the night. Most bats use echolocation and bounce sound waves off of insects and objects in order to locate and hunt their prey, keeping many pest insect populations under control. They are also important pollinators and seed dispersers. Bats live on all continents except Antarctica and unfortunately their populations are on the decline worldwide. These often maligned creatures are actually an integral part of any ecosystem, and perhaps a reason to explore the parks at sunset. Listen for the gentle flap of wings and look for that classic silhouette as the sun sinks.

Although developed areas can support more common bats that you may have heard of, such as the Mexican free-tailed bat and the big brown bat, the high diversity associated with Muir Woods is unique to protected and ecologically intact areas.