Muir Woods Reservations: Who Needs One

Who needs a reservation

Two groups do. Anyone driving a private vehicle to the monument needs a parking reservation for the lots at the entrance, every day of the year. Anyone riding the Muir Woods shuttle from the Larkspur Ferry Terminal needs a shuttle reservation, and it has to cover both the ride out and the ride back. The shuttle page gives the season and the days it runs.

Who does not

Visitors who arrive on foot, by bicycle, by ride-share or taxi, or on a commercial tour need no parking reservation. Bicycles stay outside the forest. A ride-share can drop off at the entrance, but a pick-up cannot be requested from there because there is no phone signal, so the ride back has to be arranged before arriving. The without-a-car page covers each of these options.

Can you walk in without a reservation?

Yes. The reservation is for the car or the shuttle seat, and a person who reaches the entrance another way walks in without one. Hikers come in on foot from Mill Valley or from Panoramic Highway, where a common trailhead is by the Mountain Home Inn. Marin Transit route 61 stops about 1.5 miles away, a 3-mile walk there and back. The entrance fee applies to everyone 16 and older in every case.

How strict is Muir Woods parking?

Strict. Reservations are required seven days a week, year-round, and are not sold on site, so a car that arrives without one has no way to buy a space at the gate. Each reservation gives a 30-minute arrival window. The last miles of road are narrow and winding, with significant drop-offs, and the NPS advises against oversized vehicles. The parking page sets out what to do when no slots are left.

Download it before leaving

There is no cell service and no Wi-Fi at or around Muir Woods. A confirmation stored only in an email inbox cannot be loaded at the gate, so it needs to be downloaded or printed before setting off. The same applies to maps, and to any ride-share plan for the way home.

Reservation and entrance fee are separate

The parking or shuttle reservation is a separate charge from the entrance fee. The fee applies to visitors aged 16 and older, under-16s enter free, and America the Beautiful passes cover entry; the current amounts are on nps.gov. The entrance fee page explains the passes and the fee-free days.

The tour route

A guided tour needs no parking reservation for its passengers. Five of the six tours sold on GetYourGuide include the entrance fee as well; the private Jeep tour does not. They bring their own return transport, which removes the no-signal problem on the way back. The trade-off is time: 60 to 90 minutes in the forest where the listing states it, enough for the flat valley loop and too short for a climbing hike.

Frequently asked questions