Muir Woods is about one mile long by one quarter mile wide and the trees get to about 250 ft tall. Redwood NP is about 50 miles long by up to 5 miles wide, trees get up to 370 ft tall. Also there is more variety of other trees at RNP, spruce, western hemlock, big leaf maple.
How old are the Redwoods in Muir Woods?
The redwoods in Muir Woods are not the oldest of the redwoods. They are ‘merely’ on average 600-800 years old. The oldest redwood in Muir Woods is about 1200 years old. The aptly-named Cathedral Grove trees soar into the sky like church spires.
What is the scientific name of the giant redwood trees?
Re: Redwood National Forest vs Muir Woods They are Sequoias (scientific name is Sequoia Sempervirens), though the Sierra Redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum) is the one with "giant" in its name.
What is the difference between Redwood and Sequoia?
Shape and size. —The giant sequoia is the largest tree in the world in volume and has an immense trunk with very slight taper; the redwood is the world's tallest tree and has a slender trunk. Cones and seed. —The cones and seed of the giant sequoia are about three times the size of those produced by the redwood. Woody structure.
Where do redwoods grow in California?
The redwood grows near the Pacific Ocean along the northern California coast in a more or less continuous belt about 450 miles long and 15 miles wide. (See Distribution Map on the Inside Back Cover.)
Is the redwood forest the same as Muir Woods?
In scientific speak, the redwood trees in Muir Woods are members of the Sequoioideae family that includes coastal redwood trees and their cousins, the Giant Sequoias. While the anatomy of these two redwoods have a lot in common, like cinnamon-red bark, they are actually different species.
Is Muir Woods a good place to see redwoods?
One of our favorite places in the Bay Area is the famous redwoods at Muir Woods National Monument. Once known as Redwood Canyon, this park is home to ancient groves of towering redwood trees, diverse wildlife, and spectacular views.
Is Muir Woods worth visiting?
There are plenty of other locations that you can see redwood trees. However, Muir Woods is a destination that you should at least visit once. It is a historic and internationally known national monument. Even though it has become a little “touristy” the natural beauty and impressiveness of the redwoods still remains.
What is special about Muir Woods?
Muir Woods is one of the best-preserved redwood forests in the U.S. It is the first national monument created by a land donation from an individual. Congressman William Kent gave the land to the United States on condition that it be named for John Muir, the father of the national parks.
Is Muir Woods better than redwood National Park?
The trees are the same type, but RNP is much larger - bigger area, larger groves, not very crowded. Muir Woods is relatively compact and due to its smaller size and proximity to SF, it can be crowded.
Does Muir Woods have giant sequoias?
The main attraction of Muir Woods are the coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) trees. They are known for their height, and are related to the giant sequoia of the Sierra Nevada. While redwoods can grow to nearly 380 feet (115 m), the tallest tree in the Muir Woods is 258 feet (79 m).
How much time do you need at Muir Woods?
What is this? Visiting Muir Woods can be a great experience as long as you plan everything right and take time to explore it. I recommend taking between 1,5-3 hours to explore everything, however, if you want to do more hiking, you should allocate about 5 hours for your trip.
Can you just drive through Muir Woods?
You can't drive through Muir Woods, so taking a private car does not offer any advantage. Because there is a limited number of parking spaces at the entrance of Muir Woods, you need to reserve and pay for a parking spot in advance.
Are there giant redwoods in Muir Woods?
Large Live Trees The large trees in Muir Woods are the coastal redwoods, the tallest of all living things, and some scattered Douglas firs. The tallest coastal redwood at Muir Woods is about 258 feet, approximately the height of a six-foot person stacked head to toe 45 times.
What was filmed in Muir Woods?
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011) In the fictional tales, the apes have made Muir Woods their home, even though the film was actually shot in British Columbia. The Muir Woods National Monument, perhaps better known simply as the Redwood Forest, spans 12 miles north of San Francisco in Marin County.
Can you go to Muir Woods without a reservation?
Welcome to the Official Website for Muir Woods Parking and Shuttle Reservations. Reservations are required for all vehicles and shuttle riders visiting Muir Woods National Monument.
Do bears live in Muir Woods?
Tom will tell you why on the ride over. Will I be eaten by a bear in Muir Woods? There is no chance that you will be harmed by or even see a bear in the Muir Woods.
Are there giant redwoods in Muir Woods?
Large Live Trees The large trees in Muir Woods are the coastal redwoods, the tallest of all living things, and some scattered Douglas firs. The tallest coastal redwood at Muir Woods is about 258 feet, approximately the height of a six-foot person stacked head to toe 45 times.
Which is better Big Basin or Muir Woods?
Muir Woods is quicker to access, attracts the tour buses, smaller, flat trail--a fine, but small and well used federal site. Big Basin is more your typical state park--a little harder to get to (but lovely drive), larger, more families in cars with coolers, other park areas besides the redwoods, more trails.
Where are the biggest trees in Muir Woods?
The coast redwoods are the tallest living things. The Bohemian and Cathedral groves contain the biggest trees in Muir Woods – one 252 feet tall and one 14 feet wide!
Are sequoia trees the same as redwoods?
—The giant sequoia is the largest tree in the world in volume and has an immense trunk with very slight taper; the redwood is the world's tallest tree and has a slender trunk. Cones and seed. —The cones and seed of the giant sequoia are about three times the size of those produced by the redwood.
Where is Muir Woods?
Muir Woods is only a short ride from the City--just across the Golden Gate Bridge and past the town of Mill Valley. The trees are coastal redwoods. They are not the "redwoods" seen in inland forests like Yosemite; an exhibit in Muir Woods shows different kinds of trees called "redwoods."
What kind of trees are in Muir Woods?
The trees are coastal redwoods. They are not the "redwoods" seen in inland forests like Yosemite; an exhibit in Muir Woods shows different kinds of trees called "redwoods.". It will take you a half hour or less from most parts of S.F. to get there, and your kids will also get to cross the Golden Gate Bridge.
How old is the oldest redwood in Muir Woods?
The redwoods in Muir Woods are not the oldest of the redwoods. They are ‘merely’ on average 600-800 years old. The oldest redwood in Muir Woods is about 1200 years old.
When were redwoods saplings planted in Muir Woods?
Sharing is caring! The mind boggles when you think about how old the California redwoods are. When some of these trees in Muir Woods were saplings 900 years ago , the world would have been a vastly unrecognisable place. To put things in perspective, in 1144 AD, the French and Germans were off on a doomed Second Crusade.
How long is the hike in California Redwoods?
California redwoods are the tallest living things in the world (cool fact for little kids) The hikes can be as short as 45 minutes or as long as hours depending on your abilities/interest. The boardwalk paths make using strollers easy if you have toddlers with you.
How much water does a redwood tree drink?
Coastal redwoods drink approximately 500 gallons of water per tree! In the winter, the area gets about 40 inches of rainfall per year. In the summer, the redwoods get most of the water from the fog and then when the water hits the soil, more water gets taken up by the shallow root system.
How tall are coastal redwoods?
The coastal redwoods are taller reaching a height of up to 380 feet compared to the 300 feet of the sequoias. Redwoods are younger (up to 2000 years old) while sequoias can be up to 3200 years old.
Why are redwoods mentioned in the first verse of "This land is your land"?
Luckily, the redwoods are mentioned in the first verse because, let’s face it, most people only know the first verse of a lot of songs. This land is your land, this land is my land. From California to the New York Island. From the Redwood Forest, to the Gulf Stream waters, This land was made for you and me.
Why were the trees in Redwood Canyon saved?
In the early days, the trees in Redwood Canyon were saved from being cut down because it was a particularly remote area.
How are redwood and sequoia related?
ALTHOUGH the giant sequoia and redwood are closely related, they exhibit many individual characteristics that distinguish them from each other. Perhaps the following major differences will help to answer some of the questions that may come to mind. Natural habitat. —The giant sequoia is found growing singly or in groups scattered for a distance ...
Where do redwoods grow?
The redwood grows near the Pacific Ocean along the northern California coast in a more or less continuous belt about 450 miles long and 15 miles wide. (See Distribution Map on the Inside Back Cover.) Method of reproduction.
What are the trees in Muir Woods?
The large trees in Muir Woods are the coastal redwoods, the tallest of all living things, and some scattered Douglas firs. The tallest coastal redwood ...
How long do redwoods live?
This is still young for redwoods as they can live up to 2,200 years. Being long-lived and large in size, they play a significant role in carbon, nutrient, and water cycling in the forest, helping to support an abundance of plant and animal life. Multi-layered Structure.
How do redwood trees help the creek?
The redwoods depend on the creek for most of their water and the trees help keep the gravel in the creek clean by stabilizing the soil. The trees also help keep the temperature of the stream cool and constant. As the trees die and fall into the creek, they create pools and enrich the stream with their nutrients.
What are some examples of old growth forests?
Plants like redwood sorrel and California bay laurel rely on the multi-layered structure of the forest for protection and sunlight. An old-growth forest is also itself very interconnected and through time, many of the plants and animals become reliant on one another. One example at Muir Woods is found in Redwood Creek.
Why are trees important to the forest?
The trees that fall to the forest floor are important because they help keep the soil moist by soaking up rainwater as well as serving as a shelter for many of the insects, amphibians, and mammals in the forest. They continually replenish the soil by slowly releasing nutrients. One of the most important roles for these fallen trees is serving as a nursery for young seedlings. As the logs lie on the ground, leaves and cones accumulate on top, slowly decomposing, and turning into soil. Seeds fall into this fertile soil, growing into young seedlings.
Why do we remove dead trees from the forest?
It was not long ago that the National Park Service used to remove all dead material from this forest to keep it clean and reduce fire threat. However, dead trees are vital for the forest and take many different forms. They can fall and become part of the forest floor and aquatic community or can remain standing, becoming what is known as a snag.
What are the benefits of forests?
They minimize soil erosion, produce clean water and air and maintain high biological diversity, which is crucial for this planet. As the noted scientist Charles Darwin once observed:
