Bootjack Trail Loop
If you have already walked the main trail and want to see Muir Woods the way locals hike it, this is the loop. Six miles, a historic meadow at the halfway point, and almost no one.
Bootjack – Stapelveldt – Ben Johnson Loop
Why This Loop
The Muir Woods main trail is paved and popular. Bootjack starts on the main trail but branches off after the fourth bridge and climbs out of the canyon into Mount Tamalpais State Park. The crowds disappear within 100 yards. You spend the next three hours in old-growth redwood, Douglas-fir, and oak woodland — with a historic meadow at the turnaround.
This is the loop most frequent Muir Woods visitors end up preferring. It is longer and more strenuous than the main trail but not technical, and it rewards you with the version of Muir Woods that most day-trippers never see.
Route Description
0 to 1 mile — Main trail. Start from the visitor center and walk the paved main trail to the fourth bridge. This is the one busy section of the loop. If you go early (before 10 AM), you will share the path with only a few other hikers.
1 to 2.5 miles — Bootjack Trail climb. At the fourth bridge, cross and take the Bootjack Trail. The trail follows Redwood Creek upstream, climbing gently at first, then more steeply as it enters Mount Tamalpais State Park. You pass out of old-growth redwood and into a mixed forest of bay laurel, madrone, and oak. Trail tread is dirt, roots, and occasional rocky steps. Well-marked.
2.5 miles — Van Wyck Meadow. The forest opens into a sunny, grassy meadow named for a 19th-century Marin rancher. A historic gathering site — the Tamalpais Conservation Club held rest stops here during early hiking days. Picnic-worthy. There are no facilities.
2.5 to 4 miles — TCC and Stapelveldt Trails. From Van Wyck Meadow, take the left fork (TCC Trail, built by the Tamalpais Conservation Club during WWI). This trail contours at roughly 1,200 feet elevation, crossing several small canyons without significant climbing. Connects to the Stapelveldt Trail, which begins to descend.
4 to 5.5 miles — Ben Johnson descent. The Stapelveldt Trail meets the Ben Johnson Trail, which descends steeply through old-growth redwood back into Muir Woods National Monument. This is the quietest and arguably most beautiful stretch of the loop. The last 0.5 mile reconnects to the main trail near the visitor center.
What Makes It Underrated
Three things keep this loop empty:
- It is not on the trail map most visitors see. The paper handout at the visitor center shows the main trail and the Ocean View Trail. Bootjack is listed but not highlighted.
- The first 100 yards are a real climb. Day-trippers see the elevation and turn back. Committed hikers push through and realize the hard part is short.
- The trailhead is buried in the main trail. You have to walk the main trail for nearly a mile before the Bootjack junction appears. Visitors doing short loops never reach the turnoff.
Practical Notes
Parking: Use your Muir Woods parking reservation — you enter the loop from inside the monument, so you still need a parking spot (or shuttle).
Water: Fill up at the visitor center before you start. There is no water on the loop.
Restrooms: Visitor center is the only option. Plan accordingly — you will be gone three to four hours.
Cell service: None for the entire loop. Download an offline map before you arrive.
Footwear: Trail runners or light hiking shoes. The tread is dirt with roots and occasional loose rocks — not technical, but you do not want smooth-soled sneakers.
When to Hike
Nearly year-round, with two caveats: summer fog can sit on the ridge and make Van Wyck Meadow chilly, and heavy winter rain can make the Ben Johnson descent slippery. March through May is the sweet spot — wildflowers in the meadow, redwoods still shaded and cool, creeks running.