JOHN MUIR • “GOD'S FIRST TEMPLES”
Walk among 1,000-year-old coast redwoods — tallest trees on Earth, saved by a congressman who said no to a dam.
1890s: loggers eyed Redwood Canyon. Congressman William Kent bought 611 acres and donated them to Teddy Roosevelt, who named it for naturalist John Muir. 1908 proclamation saved Bohemian Grove-sized giants while 95% of old-growth redwoods fell statewide.
Boardwalk, wheelchair-friendly. Cathedral Grove → Bohemian Grove. 1 hr.
Best for: first-timers
Steep to Stinson Beach. Redwoods → chaparral → ocean. 4 hrs.
Best for: hikers
Ladder + waterfall. Fog-drip forest, ferns, banana slugs.
Best for: adventurers
💡 Muir Woods secret: redwoods drink fog — 30% of water comes from fog-drip. Listen: no wind, just “redwood silence.” Parking requires reservation (goMuirWoods.com); take Muir Woods Shuttle from Sausalito.