What to Wear in Muir Woods

Layers first

The forest floor sits in the shade of the redwoods along Redwood Creek, and it stays cool when San Francisco is warm. In summer, fog from the coast often covers the ridges. A light fleece or sweater over a T-shirt, with a wind or rain shell on top, handles the range. On the climbing trails the effort warms a hiker quickly, and the descent back into the shaded valley cools them again, so layers that pack small are easier than one heavy coat. The half-day trip asks for hiking attire and layers; the small-group tour lists a jacket and sunglasses.

Shoes by trail

The Main Trail on the valley floor is paved and boardwalk, and the Bridge 2 and Bridge 3 loops are wheelchair and stroller accessible. Everyday trainers are enough there. The Hillside Trail on the Bridge 4 loop is a dirt path with 90 feet of gain. Above that, on Fern Creek, Canopy View, Ben Johnson and the Dipsea, the trails are narrow dirt with roots and steep sections, and the Dipsea has wooden steps. Shoes with a grippy sole help on those, especially when wet. Boots are not required on any route; the hiking boots page covers the question in more detail, and the Ben Johnson and Dipsea page describes the terrain.

What not to wear hiking

• Smooth or worn soles on the climbing trails, where roots and damp steps are slippery.
• Cotton as the only layer on a wet winter day: it stays wet and cold once soaked.
• Shorts on the longer trails if avoiding contact matters: poison oak and stinging nettle grow beside the paths, and ticks are found on the longer trails.
• New shoes on a 3-hour loop, which is not the place to break them in.

Rain in winter

Winter brings rain, and it also brings the salmon to Redwood Creek, so a rain jacket is part of a winter visit rather than a reason to skip one. The Dipsea footbridge is removed for the season and the winter route is longer. Mud collects on the dirt trails, while the Main Trail boardwalk stays easier going. The best time to visit page goes through the seasons.

On a tour

The private Jeep tour runs in an open-air vehicle over the Golden Gate Bridge, through the Marin Headlands and up to the Muir Beach Overlook, and the listing asks passengers to bring a jacket because the car is open. The ferry-option tour can return by boat across the bay, which crosses open water. The small-group tour lists comfortable shoes, sunglasses, a camera, snacks and a jacket. The roundtrip tour asks for comfortable shoes. None of the tours needs hiking boots: their 60 to 90 minutes on the ground fit the valley floor.

A short packing list

Layers, a rain shell in winter, shoes with grip for anything above the valley floor, water, and a printed or downloaded parking reservation, because there is no cell signal to load it at the gate. The things to know page has the full checklist.

Frequently asked questions