National Park Service Muir Woods U.S. Department of the Interior National Monument California

NPS / JAMES M. MORLEY Muir Woods National Monument is a Thanks to the inspiration of John Muir remnant of ancient coast redwood forests and the generous gift of the Kent family, that blanketed many northern California 100 years later we are still able to expe- coastal valleys before the 1800s. Local rience this ancient old-growth forest. businessman William Kent and his wife We have been entrusted to carry on the Elizabeth Thacher Kent bought land in legacy of Kent and Muir, protecting this this valley in 1905 to protect one of the awe-inspiring place for future generations last stands of uncut redwoods. To ensure and working towards the preservation permanent protection, they donated of wilderness, wildness, and natural 295 acres of redwoods to the federal gov- wonder. ernment. In 1908 President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed the area a national This is the best tree-lover’s monument monument. At William Kent’s request, that could possibly be found in all the it was named for conservationist John forests of the world. You have done me Muir. great honor, and I am proud of it. —John Muir to William Kent William Kent and John Muir SAVE-THE-REDWOODS LEAGUE Life of the Redwood Forest Ancient Redwood Forest Coast redwoods Animals seem elusive in the quiet red- swollen, Redwood Creek breaks through dominate this fog-drenched forest. Red- wood forest. Some, like spotted owls, bats, the sand barrier at Muir Beach, allowing woods of all ages, including many over and raccoons, emerge mostly at night. threatened steelhead trout and endan- 600 years old, grow among standing dead Others like deer are most active at dawn gered coho salmon to move up the creek trees, rotting logs, and diverse under- and dusk. Some birds—warblers, kinglets, to spawn. growth. This specialized forest environment and thrushes—migrate through Muir provides habitat for a range of plants and Woods, but winter wrens live here year- An Ecological Treasure Muir Woods animals adapted to the low light and round. National Monument and the Redwood moist conditions. Creek watershed are a part of Golden Reptiles and amphibians such as western Gate International Biosphere Reserve— garter snakes, rubber boas, and California one of the planet’s richest and most giant salamanders are uncommon, but threatened reservoirs of plant and animal slimy bright banana slugs are abundant life. Located near San Francisco, Muir during the rainy season. Most commonly Woods each year sees nearly one million seen are Steller’s jays, Sonoma chipmunks, visitors from all around the world. It is and Western gray squirrels. truly a window into the complex world of nature and conservation. Redwood Creek Watershed Redwood Creek originates high on the slopes of Redwood sorrel NPS / JAMES M. MORLEY Mt. Tamalpais and nearly bisects the park. It runs year-round, providing nearby trees Shade-loving undergrowth thrives under and animals with water, and is host to the redwood canopy. Redwood sorrel, diverse aquatic creatures, including fish, sword ferns, and mosses stay cool and insects, and salamanders. damp. Bay-laurels and big-leaf maples lean towards pockets of sunlight. On hillsides, In summer the creek slows to a trickle large Douglas firs challenge the redwoods connecting quiet pools. Winter is the wet in height. Delicate wildflowers like trillium, season, with an average of 40 inches of clintonia, and redwood violet grace the rainfall per year. Winter rainstorms turn forest floor in winter and early spring. the creek into a raging torrent. Rain- Steller’s jay NPS / JAMES M. MORLEY

Visiting Muir Woods Muir Woods National year-round. Visitors 16 Protect Your Park Loop Walks Monument, 12 miles and older must pay en- Please help preserve this Walk in Redwood Can- north of Golden Gate trance fees. natural area. • Help keep yon to enjoy the forest. Bridge, is reached via wildlife healthy: don’t The 560-acre park in- U.S. 101 and Calif. Hwy. More Information feed or disturb them. cludes six miles of trails. 1. Parking is limited: try Managed by Golden Fishing is prohibited in The main, canyon floor visiting on weekdays, Gate National Recrea- Redwood Creek. • Don’t trails are paved and mornings, or late after- tion Area, Muir Woods mar or remove flowers, mostly level. Bridges noons. Approach roads National Monument is trees, or other natural 1 to 4 (see map) make are steep and winding; one of over 390 parks features. • No smoking short loop walks possi- vehicles over 35 feet in the National Park on trails. • No horses or ble. Unpaved trails out long are prohibited. No System. The National bicycles except on fire of the canyon connect public transportation Park Service cares for roads. • Portable radios with trails in Mt. Tamal- serves the park. Jackets special places saved by are prohibited. • Picnick- pais State Park. are advised: daytime the American people so ing and camping are not temperatures average all may experience our allowed, but facilities are 40° to 70°F. heritage. To learn more provided nearby. • Pets visit www.nps.gov. are not permitted, ex- There is a visitor center cept service dogs. and a self-guiding na- Muir Woods ture trail. A gift shop sells National Monument Danger: Poison oak snacks and souvenirs. Mill Valley, CA and stinging nettles Find gasoline and serv- 94941-2696 are common. • During ices in Mill Valley, five 415-388-2595 high winds branches miles away. The park is TTY 415-556-2766 or trees may fall. open 8 a.m. to sunset www.nps.gov/muwo ˜GPO:20xx—xxx-xxx/xxxxx Reprint 20xx Printed on recycled paper. California Redwoods Redwood-like trees covered much of the and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Northern Hemisphere 150 million years Parks. Their range is restricted to small ago. As the climate changed, the range groves on the west slope of the Sierra of the redwood retreated. Now there are Nevada. two species of redwood in California, with very limited ranges. The coast red- wood (Sequoia sempervirens) grows on a thin and discontinuous 500-mile strip of Pacific coast from southern Oregon to Big Sur. Most ancient coast redwoods have been cut, but some are protected in Redwood National and State Parks, in many California and Oregon state parks, and here in Muir Woods. This canyon of redwoods was never logged. Its forest of mixed-age and dead trees supports a biologically rich community of plants and animals. Redwood Giant Sequoia Height to 379.1 ft. Closely related, the giant sequoia (Sequoia- Height to 311 ft. Age to 2,000 yrs. Age to 3,200 yrs. dendron giganteum) grows larger in bulk Diameter to 22 ft. Diameter to 40 ft. but is less tall than the coast redwood. at breast height at breast height Giant sequoias can be seen in Yosemite Bark to 12 in. thick Bark to 31 in. thick

Coast Redwoods: Tallest Living Things Bohemian and Cathe- Most mature trees are stantial soil moisture ern California. In 2006 a dral groves have the 500 to 800 years old. from rainfall and sum- redwood in Redwood biggest trees in Muir mer fog, growing tall- National Park was mea- Woods. The tallest is Coast redwoods grow est on the floodplains sured at 379.1 feet tall. over 252 feet and the best in moderate tem- of streams that flood widest over 14 feet. peratures, protected periodically. The world’s Some redwoods are at from the wind and salt tallest living thing is a least 1,000 years old. spray. They need sub- coast redwood in north-

Roles of Fog and Fire Fog Redwoods can that trees lose to evap- stroys bacteria and fungi wildfire occurred every flourish only in coastal oration and transpira- in the duff layer that 20 to 50 years here. California’s fog belt, tion. can kill seeds before To restore the eco- where frequent sum- they germinate. It recy- system’s integrity the mer fog supplies criti- Fire Fire benefits the cles nutrients, turns de- National Park Service cal moisture in the dry long-term health of a bris into ash, and can conducts prescribed season. Condensing on forest. Fire clears the enhance wildlife forage. burning to re-establish leaves and needles, fog floor of duff so red- Before fire suppression— fire’s natural role in drips to the forest floor wood seeds can reach begun in the 1800s— the forest. and replenishes water mineral soil. Fire de- upset natural cycles,

Bark Cambium layer Heartwood Sapwood

Thick Bark Its spongy and fibrous blackened cavities you bark—from six to 12 may see beside the trail. inches thick—insulates Redwoods get their the mature redwood color—and name—from against fire damage. the reddish-brown, bit- Repeated hot fires can ter chemical tannin. Tan- burn through the bark nin makes both bark Burl with sprout and expose the heart- and wood resistant to wood to dry rot. Later fire and to attack by Annual ring fires may hollow out insects and fungi. Annual rings serve as a rotted portions—the climate record and cap- ture a tree’s personal history. Light and dark rings together repre- Cones and Seeds sent one year’s growth. Redwoods are conifers stimulate a seed to ger- Wide rings show years of plentiful rainfall. Nar- and evergreen. Mature minate. If it is on suit- row rings show harsher cones are woody, red- able, fresh mineral soil years. Fire scars and dish brown, and about it may root. After the cracks are witness to a the size of olives. Cones first leaves appear, a tree’s struggle to survive. mature in a year and seedling begins making drop seeds, 50 to 60 tiny its own food and may flakes per cone, in late grow to two or three fall. Within one month, inches tall in its first warm, moist soil may year of life.

Burls and Sprouting In established forests that grows at the base The sprouting gives red- woods, or those fused like Muir Woods, burl or on the roots or sides woods great competi- at their bases, probably sprouting accounts for of redwoods. When a tive advantage over began life as burl most reproduction of tree is injured or tissue other trees that can re- sprouts. redwoods. A burl is a near a burl is affected, produce by seed only. mass of dormant buds the burl may sprout. Tightly grouped red-

ALL ILLUSTRATIONS NPS / JOHN DAWSON

Shallow Roots Roots penetrate only 10 to 13 feet deep, but they spread out nearly 100 feet.