Muir Woods

“Come to the forest, for here is rest”-John Muir

“Come to the forest, for here is rest”-John Muir

There is a special sense of serenity in Muir Woods. One of the last ancient redwood forest groves in California that wasn’t completely destroyed by logging in the 1800’s. Nestled away in the hills of Mill Valley, this serene forest is lush with life and full of energy. If you start your journey to Muir woods in the morning, you may get there just in time to witness the morning dew still dripping from the plants.

Morning dew resting on a plant.

As the sun begins to penetrate the forest canopy, the forest comes alive! As you walk into the the park, keep an eye out for critters and listen for birds. Muir Woods, due to its peaceful and quiet tone is home to many bird species who you can hear chirping in the trees above. As you listen to the sounds of nature above, make sure to keep an eye out for what lurks on the forest floor. The occasional lizard will appear if it is hot enough, but given the dense vegetation and moist environment, you are more likely to see Salamanders and if you are lucky, get a glimpse of a caterpillar crawling around. The caterpillar below was a bright yellow, and was wondering around the entrance of the park.

A caterpillar crawls across a cement block at the entrance of Muir Woods.

A caterpillar crawls across a cement block at the entrance of Muir Woods.

Right after entering Muir Woods you start to walk down the main trail (pictured right) which follows right next to a quiet but busy stream. As water washes over the rocks on the steam bed, it calms you and your stress leaves your body as if all you needed was to wash away all of your worries. If you stop to soak in the forest vibes, and look down into the stream, you might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of one of the types (Coho and Silver) of salmon that use this steam to migrate to better breeding grounds.

The view from the trail after entering Muir Woods.

The view from the trail after entering Muir Woods.

Although Muir Woods can get busy, it often tends to be less busy compares to larger parks. This allows you to enjoy the scenery almost undisturbed as you stroll through the forest. As pictured here, much of the forest floor is covered in various plants, in this case, a clover field.

Clovers cover the Forest Floor

Clovers cover the Forest Floor

Shadows from the forest canopy different shades of green amongst a clover field

Shadows from the forest canopy different shades of green amongst a clover field

As you continue your journey through the forest, you may come across opening in the forest floor where branches, twigs and leaves have fallen. This is a great opportunity to spot some unusual creatures. As mentioned earlier, the forest floor is alive, and some animals have adapted over millions of years to blend in with their surroundings in order to hide from predators. Below is a Banana Slug that was discovered just feet from the main trail. Hiding amongst the leaves and this interesting creature moves slowly along the forest floor. To some this slug may look scary, to others it may look cool. Whatever your thoughts are, you can rest easy knowing that this slug is not dangerous to humans, though it is not recommended that you touch it as they can be awfully slimy. These slugs go about their day eating vegetation off the forest floor and are crucial to the health of the forest so watch your step!

Banana Slug crawling along the forest floor.

Banana Slug crawling along the forest floor.

Muir woods has a few strenuous hikes and miles of trails, but no matter your hiking ability, Muir Woods has a trail for you. The main trail that has been mentioned a few times now is only a few miles long and can be easily shortened as it its a loop and there are 4 bridges that you can cross to start heading back to the main entrance. Overall it is an easy flat hike that is mostly paved or leveled. Whether you are an avid hiker or a park stroller, Muir Woods is a beautiful place to hike, walk, relax and enjoy.

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The Pinnacles National Park