Muir Woods on a Budget
Muir Woods charges $15 per person to enter, plus parking or shuttle fees. For a family of four that adds up fast. Here is how to bring the cost down without skipping the experience.
Fee-Free Days
The National Park Service waives entrance fees at all parks (including Muir Woods) on approximately 5 to 6 days per year. On these days, the $15-per-person fee is dropped.
2026 fee-free days
- January 19 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- April 18 — First day of National Park Week
- June 19 — Juneteenth
- August 4 — Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
- September 26 — National Public Lands Day
- November 11 — Veterans Day
Important: The entrance fee is waived on these days, but parking reservations are still required and are not free. Book parking through recreation.gov as usual (about $9.50 per vehicle). The shuttle is still $3.50 round trip. Fee-free days are extremely popular — book everything far in advance.
Pass Strategies
America the Beautiful Annual Pass — $80/year
Waives the entrance fee at all NPS sites. Covers the pass holder and up to three additional adults in the same vehicle. Break-even point for Muir Woods alone is 3 people on one visit (3 x $15 = $45) plus any second NPS visit in the same year. If you plan to visit Yosemite, Pinnacles, Joshua Tree, or any other park in 2026, this pass pays for itself quickly.
Senior Pass — $20/year or $80 lifetime
Same coverage as above, but for U.S. citizens and permanent residents age 62+. See our seniors guide for details.
Access Pass — Free
Free lifetime pass for U.S. citizens and permanent residents with permanent disabilities. Covers the holder and up to three additional adults in the same vehicle. Documentation required; apply through nps.gov.
Military Pass — Free
Free annual pass for U.S. military members (active duty, reserve, National Guard, Gold Star Families) and veterans. Present valid military ID or DD-214 to receive.
4th Grade Pass — Free
Free annual pass for all U.S. 4th graders (including home-schooled). Covers the student and accompanying adults in the same vehicle. Apply through everykidoutdoors.gov.
Cheapest Transportation
Marin Transit Shuttle — $3.50 round trip
Route 66F picks up at Pohono Park & Ride (free parking) and Sausalito Ferry Terminal. Runs seasonally May through October. This is the cheapest way to get from anywhere in the Bay Area to Muir Woods and includes the inbound “parking” logistic (you arrive without a car, so no reservation needed).
Drive with a parking reservation — $9.50
Book through recreation.gov in advance. The parking fee covers your vehicle for the time window selected. Cheapest option if you have a carful of people splitting the cost.
Walk-in — Free
Muir Woods does not charge visitors who arrive on foot or bicycle. The catch: there is nowhere to bike or walk from easily. The closest logistical start is Muir Beach (2.5 miles one way, steep) or Mount Tam Pantoll (4 miles one way, steep both directions). Not a casual plan — this is a serious hiking day. Also note: you still pay the $15 per-person entrance fee unless it is a fee-free day or you have a pass.
Avoid: Rideshare
Uber and Lyft from San Francisco are $45 to $90 one way, plus the return-trip challenge (see our Uber/Lyft guide). Not a budget option.
Bring a Lunch
The Muir Woods cafe sells sandwiches in the $10 to $14 range and drinks for $4 to $6. For a family of four that is $50 to $70 for a meal. Pack a lunch instead and eat at the picnic area just outside the park entrance (Muir Woods Picnic Area, free, first-come-first-served tables). Or pack up a picnic from a grocery store in San Francisco or Mill Valley before you arrive.
What You Still Cannot Skip
- The parking reservation. Required whether or not you have a fee waiver or pass.
- The $15 entrance fee unless you are visiting on a fee-free day or have one of the qualifying passes.
- Shuttle fare on the Marin Transit route (but $3.50 round trip is nearly free).
Total Cost by Scenario
| Scenario | Entrance | Transport | Food | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fee-free day, shuttle, packed lunch | $0 | $3.50 | $0 | $3.50 |
| Standard solo visit, shuttle, packed lunch | $15 | $3.50 | $0 | $18.50 |
| Solo drive, packed lunch | $15 | $9.50 parking | $0 | $24.50 |
| Family of 4, drive, cafe lunch | $45 (kids under 16 free) | $9.50 | ~$50 | ~$104.50 |
| Family of 4, drive, America the Beautiful pass (first-year purchase) | $80 pass + $0 | $9.50 | ~$50 | ~$139.50 |
Skip-the-Fee Legally
Kids under 16 enter free. Fee-free days waive the $15 for everyone. Qualifying passes (Annual, Senior, Access, Military, 4th Grade) cover the pass holder plus up to three accompanying adults. There is no other legal way to avoid the fee.
Arriving on foot does not skip the entrance fee. Early-morning arrival does not skip the entrance fee. “I only want to look for 10 minutes” does not skip the entrance fee.