Muir Woods National Monument

The park contains redwoods that range in age from 600 to 1,200 years old and grow up to 258 feet tall. Muir Woods is also just north of San Francisco and the closest place to fully immerse yourself in a redwood forest from the city. The downside of Muir Woods' proximity to the city is that it is always crowded. In fact, Muir Woods is the world's most popular redwood park, with over a million visitors each year. If you're looking for a solo and quiet walk among the towering redwoods, Muir Woods isn't the place to go. If you've never been to Muir Woods, you should go at least once.

And if you go to Muir Woods as soon as it opens, you can avoid most of the crowds while still enjoying a relatively quiet redwood forest. The park has a number of easy trails that wind through it. The Bohemian Grove Trail (2 miles) is a good place to start if you're looking for a quick hike. Other long-distance favorites include The Ben Johnson Trail (3.4 miles) and The Sun Trail (4.7 miles).

Google Rating: 4.8/5.0

Address: Mill Valley, CA 94941, USA

Phone: +1 415-561-2850

Website: nps.gov/muwo/index.htm