Muir Woods National Monument
Description
"This is the best tree-lovers monument that could possibly be found in all the forests of the world." —John Muir Walk among old growth coast redwoods, cooling their roots in the fresh water of Redwood Creek and lifting their crowns to reach the sun and fog. Federally protected as a National Monument since 1908, this primeval forest is both refuge and laboratory, revealing our relationship with the living landscape. What will you discover in Muir Woods?
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It's #NationalParkWeek, so the river otters have come out to play! Here we have a picture of where an otter...was. Otters are quick and tricky to catch on camera, but they are still one of our favorite characters in the Woods, with their slippery skins and lovable whiskers. We're so grateful to see this species in Redwood Creek again. Otters are recent returners to the Bay Area, finding it newly hospitable after lots of work to clean up local watersheds. (LB + DS) What creatures are you always happy to see in your local parks? #FindYourPark #EncuentraTuParque #NPS101
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It's been a drizzly few days in the Woods, which means visitors are in for a treat: the delightful smell of rain. Did you know that there is a word specifically to describe this smell? The word is "petrichor," and it refers to the odor that emerges from a chemical reaction that happens when rain seeps into soil. (LB) What does petrichor--the smell of rain--remind you of?
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Hi-ho, hi-ho, it's off to work we go! Happy Monday, everyone! NPS trail crew pic by J. Milestone.
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What is that thing that looks like asparagus? We’ve been hearing this question a lot lately as these special plants, called horsetails for their brushy shape, emerge along the forest floor. Horsetails are a close relative of ferns. They evolved around 350 million years ago, at about the same time as the very first dragonflies and bony fish. How do you think such an ancient species has been able to persist into the present? #fernallyfriday Photos // D Shinmoto Caption // L Booth
Public Meeting | Muir Woods Salmon Enhancement & Bridge Project
Join us next week at the Tam Valley Community Center to learn more about a proposed project to restore habitat for endangered Coho salmon and replace aging pedestrian bridges at Muir Woods National Monument https://www.facebook.com/events/645216615602960/
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Now & then: In honor of #WomensHistoryMonth, here is our re-creation of a Muir Woods staff pic from 1937
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Trillium ovatum, also called Western Wake Robin or Pacific Trillium, is a #wildflowerwednesday lover’s dream! This fairyland-worthy species is recognizable by its 5-8 inch-tall stem, trio of leaves, and three-petaled flower (from which it gets its name). Trillium species spread using a mass of underground roots, called rhizomes. Other plants that grow this way include hops, ginger, and irises. The next few weeks are a great time to see Trillium growing next to Redwood Creek and along our Hillside Trail! L. Booth
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Roses are red, violets are blue…well, not THIS violet. The redwood violet, Viola sempervirens, is a rich YELLOW flower with heart-shaped leaves (go figure). It belongs to the violet family, Violaceae, which also includes pansies and many ornamental flowers. You can see this cheery wildflower this #wildflowerwednesday along our Hillside Trail—or any other day of the week when you visit us! -L. Booth [Image of small herbaceous plant with bright yellow flowers and heart-shaped green leaves, with text "Redwood Violet, Viola sempervirens, Blooms Feb-Jun, Prefers damp soil near creeks]
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For this #wildflowerwednesday, we’re shedding light on Drops-of-Gold, which you can see growing now(!) near our entrance as well as along our main paths, interspersed with ferns, redwood sorrel, and other plants. Also called Hooker’s Fairy Bells (named for botanist Sir William Hooker), this species grows to be 2-3 ft. tall, with shiny leaves and cream-colored clusters of 2-3 flowers at the ends of its stems. Drops-of-Gold is widespread in moist, wooded habitats of the western states. It also has a mysterious, small population in Michigan whose origin is unclear. Photo: Laura Booth [Image: Image of branched understory plant with tube-shaped white flowers at the tip of its stem, with text "Blooms Mar-Jun, Lily Family, Prosartes hookeri, Drops-Of-Gold."]
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It’s #wildflowerwednesday, flower fans! Redwood sorrel, Latin name Oxalis oregana, is one of the species you are guaranteed to see on a trip to the Woods. It carpets the ground in many areas shaded by our magnificent Coast Redwoods, but its flowers only bloom in spring and summer. If you visit on a sunny day, look out for a trademark redwood sorrel behavior: folding its sun sensitive leaves, which respond to heat by drooping into little umbrellas. How have you seen plants in your neighborhood respond to changes in their environments? Photo & Caption // Laura Booth [Image: Image of clover-like plant with purple flower, with text "Oxalis oregana, Redwood Sorrel, Blooms Feb-Sept, Heat-sensitive! Folds its leaves like an umbrella in high sun."]
San Francisco Bay Joint Venture
Redwood Creek flows through Muir Woods and empties out into the ocean at Muir Beach. The last decade of restoration work at Muir Beach will improve habitat for coho salmon and steelhead - making their journey into and out of the ocean easier.
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It’s #wildflowerwednesday, redwood lovers! This vibrant wildflower, blooming from February to May, is named for the shape of its leaves, which look like a dog’s tongue in some species. In Greek, “kuno” means dog and “glossa” means tongue. Hound’s Tongue prefers moist woods or brushy slopes, such as the spot where this picture was taken on our Canopy View Trail. See if you can find one on your next visit to the Woods! Photo & Caption // Laura Booth [Image: Image of plant with small purple and pink flowers, with text "Hound’s Tongue, Cynoglossum grande, Blooms Feb-May, Named for its leaves, which are shaped like a dog’s tongue!"]
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