Choosing a Muir Woods Hike by Time
Up to 1.5 hours: the valley floor
The Main Trail follows Redwood Creek from the entrance, on pavement and boardwalk. Walkers cross at one of the numbered footbridges and return along the creek. The Bridge 2 loop is 0.5 mile, about 30 minutes. The Bridge 3 loop is 1 mile, about an hour, and passes Cathedral Grove. The Bridge 4 loop is 2 miles and adds the Hillside Trail, with 90 feet of gain, in about 1.5 hours. The Bridge 2 and Bridge 3 loops are wheelchair and stroller accessible. The Main Trail loop page walks through it bridge by bridge.
2 to 2.5 hours: the first climbs
Two routes leave the valley floor without committing a whole morning. Fern Creek to Camp Alice Eastwood is 3 miles with 340 feet of gain, about 2 hours. Canopy View to Lost Trail to Fern Creek is also 3 miles but climbs 530 feet, about 2.5 hours. Both are dirt paths with roots and steep sections, so shoes with grip help.
About 3 hours: the Ben Johnson and Dipsea loop
The loop up the Ben Johnson Trail and back on the Dipsea climbs 925 feet. It is 4 miles and about 3 hours in summer, and 5 miles and 3 to 3.5 hours in winter, when the Dipsea footbridge over Redwood Creek is removed for the salmon. Canopy View to Redwood to Sun to Dipsea is a second 3-hour option: 5 miles with 780 feet of gain. The Dipsea loop page has the detail.
Half a day or more
Muir Woods to Muir Beach along Redwood Creek is 6 miles with only 150 feet of gain, about 4 hours, though poison oak and ticks are common on the way. Bootjack to TCC to Stapleveldt climbs 1,000 feet in 6 miles and 4 hours, or 7 miles and 5 hours in winter. The full-day routes are Muir Woods to East Peak (8 miles, 2,600 feet, 5 to 6 hours), Stinson Beach and back on the Dipsea (10 miles, 2,480 feet, 6 to 7 hours) and Stinson Beach out on the Dipsea with a Steep Ravine return (11 miles, 2,860 feet, 7 to 8 hours). The monument closes at sunset, so these start in the morning. The Mount Tamalpais hikes page covers them.
What each tour’s forest time fits
Every GetYourGuide tour that includes Muir Woods stays on the valley floor. The half-day trip and the roundtrip tour each give 1.5 hours, and the ferry-option tour 90 minutes: enough for the Bridge 4 loop at a steady pace, or the Bridge 3 loop with time to stop. The small-group tour gives 80 minutes and the wine-country day about an hour, both of which fit the Bridge 3 loop. The private Jeep tour does not state its forest time. None of the six leaves room for a climbing route, which needs a visit on the traveller’s own reservation or on foot.
Mornings in the canyon are quieter than midday. A hiker aiming for East Peak or Stinson Beach who arrives at the 8 am opening has the whole day of light to work with.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best hike in Muir Woods?
It depends on the time available. The flat Bridge 3 loop takes about an hour; the Ben Johnson and Dipsea loop takes about 3 hours with 925 feet of gain. The full trail list has every NPS route.
Which Muir Woods trail suits a first visit?
The Main Trail on the valley floor: flat, paved and boardwalk, with loops of 0.5, 1 and 2 miles. See the Main Trail loop.
Is there a short climbing hike in Muir Woods?
Fern Creek to Camp Alice Eastwood is 3 miles with 340 feet of gain, about 2 hours, the shortest climb on the NPS list.
Can a tour include a real hike?
Not a climbing one. The tours give about 60 to 90 minutes in the forest, which fits the valley loops; the Dipsea loop needs about 3 hours.