Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
11am-4pm Sat & Sun)
staffs a small visitor center at East Peak.
Getting There & Away
To reach Pantoll Station by car, take Hwy 1 to the Panoramic Hwy and look for the Pantoll
runs daily minibuses ($2) from Marin City (via Mill Valley; plus weekend and holiday ser-
vice from the Sausalito ferry) to both the Pantoll Station and Mountain Home Inn.
Muir Woods National Monument
Walking through an awesome stand of the world's tallest trees is an experience to be had
only in Northern California and a small part of southern Oregon. The old-growth red-
Woods Rd, Mill Valley; adult/child $7/free; 8am-sunset)
, just 12 miles north of the Golden
Gate Bridge, is the closest redwood stand to San Francisco. The trees were initially eyed
by loggers, and Redwood Creek, as the area was known, seemed ideal for a dam. Those
plans were halted when congressman and naturalist William Kent bought a section of Red-
wood Creek and, in 1907, donated 295 acres to the federal government. President
Theodore Roosevelt made the site a national monument in 1908, the name honoring John
Muir, naturalist and founder of environmental organization the Sierra Club.
Muir Woods can become quite crowded, especially on weekends. Try to come midweek,
early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when tour buses are less of a problem. Even
at busy times, a short hike will get you out of the densest crowds and onto trails with huge
trees and stunning vistas. A lovely cafe serves local and organic goodies and hot drinks
that hit the spot on foggy days.
Activities
The 1-mile
Main Trail Loop
is a gentle walk alongside Redwood Creek to the 1000-year-
old trees at
Cathedral Grove
; it returns via
Bohemian Grove
, where the tallest tree in the
park stands 254ft high. The
Dipsea Trail
is a good 2-mile hike up to the top of aptly
named
Cardiac Hill
.
