The Royal Tour
Muir Woods National Monument was established in 1908, and named for John Muir, one of the fathers of the national parks system.
Protecting 240 acres of ancient growth coastal redwood forest about an hour north of San Francisco, Muir Woods was the creation of William and Elizabeth Thatcher Kent, who bought the land and donated it to the federal government, saving it from logging.
Redwood Creek runs down the center of the valley, with a flat boardwalk on one side and a hilly trail on the other. Side trails also exist for extended hiking.
The trail in this photo is the Muir Woods boardwalk, which you can see is a flat and accessible walkway.
The knobs on these redwoods are called burls, and are a tree's response to stress. These burls may have been caused by increased pollution or logging in the area.
This little dude wanted to climb me in search of food. He also wants you to click the link below to read all about Muir Woods, John Muir, and coastal redwoods.