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Get away from the city and relax at Muir
Woods, just a short drive of under an hour from downtown San Francisco, over the Golden Gate Bridge.
You can enjoy a beautiful, ancient redwood forest that is truly unique for
just $3 per person. The winding drive to the forest through the Marin
Headland hills is truly special. Make sure to dress a little warmer
for the cool, shaded, moist area.
The redwoods reach for all the
sun they can get, and the forest floor tends to be cool and damp. In
this photo, a small amount of light has penetrated the redwoods to reach the
ground. There are 3 walks, from one-half hour to 1.5 hours, and much
longer hikes if you wish. The forest park is actually paved to make it
easy for wheelchairs and mothers with strollers. The longer
hikes are unpaved. The 560 acre park includes six miles of paved,
mostly level trails on the canyon floor.
Stroll on Relaxing
Trails...
In California, there are two different
species of redwood. The coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) is what you will find in Muir Woods.
Though most of old-growth coast redwoods have been logged, some are protected. You will
find these protected redwoods in Redwood National and State Parks throughout Oregon and
California. The forest at Muir Woods was spared because it was hard to get to.
The other specie of redwood is the giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron
giganteum). These type grow larger in bulk but is less tall than the coast redwood. Giant
sequoias can be seen in Yosemite and Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks.
Free Lectures @ Muir Woods...
The coast redwoods are the tallest living things. The
Bohemian and Cathedral groves contain the biggest trees in Muir Woods---one 252 feet tall
and one 14 feet wide. Most of these trees range in age of 800-1000 years old!
How are these coast redwoods able to get this old? The
coast redwood has been able to mature and have survived fires due to their thick bark. The
bark is spongy and fibrous and can range in thickness anywhere from 6 to 12 inches. The
bark acts as insulation against fire damage. The forest's long-term ecological well-being
benefit from fires because it clears the floor of duff so redwood seeds can reach mineral
soil.
Limousine Tours To Muir Woods |
