The scenic beauty of Muir Woods and Marin County

Coast redwoods are the tallest living things on Earth; the tallest is 379 ft high in Redwoods Natl Park while the tallest at Muir Woods is 258+ ft tall or about the height of a 23 story building

On May 19, 1945, delegates from the conference which founded the United Nations held a commemorative ceremony in tribute to FDR (he had died the month before) in Muir Woods' Cathedral Grove

I remember first visiting Muir Woods with my mom in the summer of 1985; though only 12 miles north of San Francisco, it takes 40 minutes to reach with no traffic (and that seldom occurs)

Two species of redwood remain in the US-both with very limited ranges; the coast redwood (Pacific coast from southern OR into CA) and the giant sequoia (west slopes of Sierra Nevada mtns) which grows larger in bulk but shorter than its relative

Redwood Creek is one of the few free-flowing streams on the Pacific Coast that still provides suitable habitat for endangered coho salmon (the southern extent of their range) and steelhead trout

In 1907, Sausalito wanted to dam Redwood Creek and flood the valley but the irate landowner donated the land to the federal government instead with Roosevelt protecting it the next year making Muir Woods a national monument

Coast redwoods can live 2000+ yrs (giant sequoias can live 3200+ yrs); this tree fell in 1930 and was 1021 years old with historical dates marked reinforcing the significance of protecting this old growth forest

Muir Woods is regularly shrouded in a coastal marine layer fog, contributing to a wet environment that encourages vigorous plant growth; the fog is vital for the growth of the redwoods as they use moisture from the fog during dry seasons

Redwoods, unlike most other trees, can reproduce not only from seed but also directly from their own burl growth; burl wood is so treasured for its intricate patterns that it is sometimes poached from redwood parks

Redwoods typically survive forest fires because their bark is up to one foot thick and is rich in tannic acid which acts as a fire retardant (it also protects the trees from insect damage and gives them a reddish color)

Muir Woods National Monument protects 554 acres of which 240 acres are old growth coast redwood; it is named after John Muir who is considered 'Father of the National Parks' and an early advocate of wilderness preservation

Advanced reservations are now required for parking ($8.50) to limit crowds with weekend shuttle service offered from several Bay Area locations; there is no cell service around Muir Woods so don't expect to reserve a spot on-site

Stinson Beach is known as one of the cleanest in CA but surfers here also suffer from periodic great white shark attacks; it was Billie Jean King's favorite beach when she lived in the Bay Area and Janis Joplin's ashes were spread here

The Marin Headlands offer the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge and downtown SF; from August to December, tens of thousands of hawks, falcons, eagles, osprey, and harriers are funneled by the peninsular shape of Marin County into the headlands

The black sand beach in Marin Headlands is caused by natural minerals, which are rich in iron and heavier than regular grains of sand; since the dark sand weighs more, it stays on the beach even when lighter grains are washed out to sea

I enjoyed watching the pelicans at the black sand beach in Marin Headlands; while here I read Billie Jean King's interesting autobiography entitled All In (I never realized she lived in the Bay Area for a time)

You can barely make out the Point Bonita Lighthouse which was the last manned lighthouse on the CA coast; this is the only lighthouse in the US which can only be reached by a suspension bridge (temporarily closed to the public due to Covid)

Muir Woods is only 3 miles from Muir Beach and scenic CA Highway 1; the Pacific Coast Highway is one of the most beautiful drives anywhere in the world and runs from Dana Point in Orange County north to near Mendocino