AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |
Back to Blog
Facebook photo theater loop12/15/2023 The Redwood Creek Trail follows its namesake stream on the left and reaches a junction with the Canopy View Trail at 3.2 miles. Today, park rangers lead regular “Tree Talks” at Founder’s Grove, telling the story of Pinchot, Muir, and beyond.įrom Founder’s Grove, continue straight, with the wood surface giving way to asphalt. Ironically, Pinchot was a lifelong rival of John Muir, for whom the park is named while Muir advocated conservation of wild places to preserve them as they were, Pinchot was more willing to accommodate use of public lands for resource use, such as logging. Forest Service and the key player in establishing Muir Woods National Monument. From here, enter Founder’s Grove, a small stand with a few hefty redwoods, including the Pinchot Tree, named for Gifford Pinchot, the first head of the U.S. Stay straight as you pass the turnoff to the restrooms on the right and visit the cross-section of a fallen redwood. The path traces around side ravines with redwoods towering above, then descends, at 2.75 miles, to a heavily-trafficked junction.įrom here, bear left on the wooden boardwalk, the main thoroughfare in the park. The Hillside Trail stays well above the valley floor, although part way down the route, the base- Redwood Creek-becomes visible. Bear right at the junction, following the Hillside Trail as it climbs a set of stairs and then rounds a long bend to clear a brush ravine. And here come the crowds: you are now close to the central thoroughfare in the park. At two miles, the Ben Johnson Trail descends a staircase through a particularly scenic section, complete with more towering giants and another redwood bridge.įinally, at about 2.1 miles, hikers reach another trail junction, now deep in the heart of Muir Woods National Monument. At 1.75 miles, the trail rounds a fern-studded ravine and then traverses a bridge clearly built out of a carved-out redwood trunk. The path keeps its distance from the valley floor, however, instead offering views looking down at the increasingly thick old-growth redwoods. The scenery along the Ben Johnson Trail gets better and better as it gradually descends, rounding a corner into the main Redwood Canyon. ( Note: You can also see the entrance to the Alpine Trail, which will be your return route.) Follow the Staplevelt Trail as it climbs into the woods and mounts a stony hillside, cutting directly through the Pantoll Campground.īen Johnson Trail in Muir Woods National Monument Although the majority of the hike follows the Ben Johnson and Bootjack Trails, it begins on the Staplevelt Trail, situated back at the entrance to the parking lot, just off the Panoramic Highway. ( Note: On weekends, Pantoll is often full, but there is nearby parking at Bootjack, Rock Spring, or Mountain Theater.)įrom the Pantoll parking area, trails split off in all directions. Granted, parking at Pantoll Ranger Station in Mount Tamalpais State Park isn’t cheap-$8 for the day-but doing so will save you the headache of swimming through the masses to enter Muir Woods. There is clear benefit to approaching Muir Woods from outside the park: visitors can eschew the mandatory parking/shuttle reservation required for those who enter Muir Woods by car. Map of Ben Johnson-Bootjack Trail Loop, Muir Woods National Monument created using National Geographic Maps/AllTrails, (Check out the PDF version, interactive map, and MapMyHike track) ( Note: There are other loop options in the area-such as the Ben Johnson-Dipsea Trail Loop, which is shorter-but the Dipsea is only worthwhile if it’s a clear day, a relatively rarity on the Marin Peninsula.) On a cloudy or foggy day, especially in winter/spring when the waters are rushing, try this wooded but scenic Ben Johnson – Bootjack Trail Loop. This post describes a moderately difficult circuit that covers the popular core of Muir Woods but also its underappreciated upper reaches, beginning and ending at the Pantoll Ranger Station in neighboring Mount Tamalpais State Park. Yet the western stretches of the park-or better yet, the areas belonging to Mount Tamalpais State Park that surround Muir Woods-solitude and wildness are much more likely to be found. ![]() Within a half-mile radius of the park’s tiny visitor center, there are scores and scores of visitors. The redwood groves of Muir Woods National Monument, while lovely, have a people problem. Bootjack Trail, Mount Tamalpais State Park, December 2019
0 Comments
Read More
Leave a Reply. |