Muir Woods Trail Map & Hiking Guides
Muir Woods has six miles of trails. Short loops of 30 minutes, one hour, and 90 minutes stay inside the monument. Longer hikes climb into surrounding Mount Tamalpais State Park. Every trail gives you some view of old-growth coast redwoods, the tallest living things on Earth.
Main-floor trails are paved or boardwalked. Canyon-wall trails are dirt, narrow, steep, and crossed with roots. Strollers and wheelchairs are not advised on the upper trails. For accessibility details, see our Accessibility Guide.
Download Trail Maps
Trail Guides
Main Trail Loop: Visitor Center to Cathedral Grove
Round trip1 mile
Time30 min to 1 hr
DifficultyEasy
The main trail begins at the visitor center and follows Redwood Creek on both sides of the stream. Shorten the walk by crossing the second or third of four bridges and returning. The path is wide, paved, and wheelchair and stroller accessible. Numbered signs after the second bridge correspond to stops described in the Nature Trail Booklet. This is the best trail for families visiting with kids and for visitors with limited mobility.
Main Trail to Fourth Bridge & Return via Hillside Trail
Round trip2 miles
Time1.5 hours
DifficultyEasy Moderate
A good route when you want to step away from the busy main trail without committing to a real climb. Look for the Hillside Trail sign after the fourth bridge on the main trail, walk uphill about 40 yards, and the path curves along the canyon edge and doubles back around a side stream. The dirt tread is easy underfoot and offers a higher vantage point over the forest. For full turn-by-turn, see our Hillside & Fern Creek loop guide.
Fern Creek Trail to Camp Eastwood
Round trip3 miles
Time2 hours
DifficultyModerate
Fern Creek Trail travels along a lush side creek through a forested redwood canyon. Look for the trailhead a quarter-mile past Cathedral Grove. A short distance later you pass the site of the Kent Tree, a 220-foot Douglas-fir that was William Kent’s favorite until it fell in March 2003. After a mile of following the stream you reach Camp Alice Eastwood, with restrooms, tables, and a patch of sunshine (drinking water availability can vary seasonally). The camp sits at the original terminus of the gravity car line that descended from the top of Mt. Tam into Muir Woods in the early 1900s. Passengers rode a steam railway up the mountain and then coasted back down by gravity to Muir Inn, which stood near the present-day camp.
Dipsea Trail & Return via Ben Johnson Trail
Round trip4 miles
Time3 hours
DifficultyModerate
For a view of Mt. Tamalpais, the Pacific, and San Francisco, take the Dipsea Trail. Start across the bridge off the lower parking lot. A half-mile steep grade through fern-lined forest pulls you out of the canyon onto an exposed ridge. The trail eases as it passes through grassland, enters a redwood forest for a quarter-mile of gradual uphill, and reaches the Ben Johnson Trail cutoff. Follow it in a slow descent back to the main Muir Woods trail. To extend the day, stay on the Dipsea Trail all the way to Stinson Beach. See our dedicated Dipsea Trail guide and Ben Johnson Trail guide.
Bootjack Trail to Ben Johnson Trail Loop
Round trip6 miles
Time3.5 hours
DifficultyModerate Hard
A half-day hike with a classic resting spot. The main trail becomes the Bootjack Trail after the fourth bridge and follows Redwood Creek until the forest opens at Van Wyck Meadow, a historic gathering site. To the left, a trail built during World War I by the Tamalpais Conservation Club crosses several canyons while remaining on level ground. Take the left fork (TCC Trail) at the trail markers to reach the Stapleveldt Trail, then switchback down to Ben Johnson Trail and back into Muir Woods. Full loop details in our Bootjack Trail Loop guide.
Ocean View / Coast View Trail
The Ocean View Trail (also called the Panoramic Trail or Coast View Trail) originates in Muir Woods and climbs to Panoramic Highway. Steep in parts but mostly gentle. Along the way you see the full range of Mt. Tamalpais plant life: redwoods deep in the canyons, tan oak, coastal live oak, madrone, and Douglas-fir on the middle slopes, and chaparral at the top. For the full 6.7-mile ocean-view loop, see our Coast View / Cardiac Hill guide.
Ocean View Trail to Lost Trail to Fern Creek
Round trip3 miles
Time2 hours
DifficultyModerate
Lost Trail was reportedly buried for a long stretch after an early twentieth-century landslide. For a quieter, emptier forest, walk it. Take the Ocean View Trail off the main trail, go about 1.3 miles, and take the Lost Trail turnoff on the left. Descend through deep Douglas-fir into the redwoods. Lost Trail ends at Fern Creek Trail. Turn left and follow Fern Creek back to Muir Woods.
Ocean View Trail to Redwood Trail to Sun Trail
Round trip5.2 miles
Time3 hours
DifficultyModerate Hard
A half-day hike with a midway rest and a view. Follow the Ocean View Trail for 1.5 miles, then turn right where it intersects the trail running parallel to Panoramic Highway. After a short distance, turn onto Redwood Trail, a level path that curves around the canyons at roughly 800 feet elevation. After 1.7 miles on Redwood Trail you reach the Tourist Club, established in 1912. Take the Sun Trail loop (0.7 miles), cross Muir Woods Road, and catch the Dipsea Trail back to Muir Woods.
Trail Deep Dives
Tips for Hiking Muir Woods
- Wear layers. The forest floor stays cool and shaded even on warm days. Check our Weather page for current conditions.
- Bring water. Drinking fountains are limited to the visitor center area.
- Start early. The park is quietest in the first hours after opening. See the Best Time to Visit guide.
- Stay on trails. Redwood root systems are shallow and fragile, and walking off-trail damages them. Read our Leave No Trace guide.
- No dogs allowed. Pets are not permitted in Muir Woods. See the Pet Policy page for details.
Before You Go
Skip the Drive: Book a Shuttle Tour
Parking reservations are limited and the road into the monument is narrow and winding. Small-group shuttle tours run daily from San Francisco, include park admission, and usually add a stop in Sausalito.
See our Muir Woods Tours guide for current operators, pricing, and booking links, or the shuttle schedule if you’re taking the Marin Transit bus.
