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Thread: Muir Woods Tour
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Old May 17, 2018, 12:08 am
  #15  
KathyWdrf
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Originally Posted by Maglev

I was recently in San Francisco with my wife who wanted to visit Muir Woods. She didn't want to go on a tour, so we rented a car for a day. The parking reservation system works okay, but it appears that the earlier reservation holders have the best chance of parking near the entrance (we had a noon reservation, and were parked about a quarter mile away).
That is certainly true. It's quite a hike from the overflow parking lots to the entrance. (But in most cases, that's OK, you're just getting some extra exercise. It does chew up a bit of your precious time if you're on a tight schedule.)

I hope that, since you had a car, you also took the opportunity to drive up to the peak of Mount Tamalpais State Park (or Mt. Tam, as it's popularly known), and (at least) take the short loop trail around. Mt. Tam (and the views from it) is truly a must-see if you are visiting Muir Woods and have your own transportation.

Did you visit any other places nearby, such as Muir Beach, Stinson Beach? Or China Camp (a State Park that's on the Bay rather than the ocean, but well worth a visit if you have the time)?

A tip for visiting California State Parks: many of them charge a parking fee (often $10 per vehicle for day use only), but if you visit more than one on the same day, you can use the same parking permit for all. (Don't know if there are any exceptions. There are quite a few State Parks that are near each other. Muir Woods is a National Monument rather than a State Park, so there are separate fees for that, of course.)
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