Muir Woods National Monument

Join us on a moderate 4-mile round trip hike around Tennessee Valley where we will see our hills bathed in the “alpenglow” of our setting sun and watch a nearly full moon rise over the ridge.

As day turns to night, we will listen for and learn more about the animals that are vocal during the dark, including owls and coyotes.

Bring warm layers, binoculars, snack, water, and flashlight. No pets.

Meet the rangers at the Tennessee Valley trail at 5:00 pm.

The hike at Tennessee Valley is a moderate 4-mile hike with minimal elevation change.

All attendees must be at least 8 years old. Minors 8-15 years old must be accompanied by an adult. Groups registering are limited to 4 people.

Muir Woods has a long history as a place of peace and refuge - both for the animals who call this forest home and for people the world over. The forest played host to an early gathering of the United Nations at its founding because it was seen as a "temple of peace" where the participants could get a "perspective and sense of time" better than anywhere else.

Saturday, October 24th is United Nations Day - an international holiday celebrating the official creation of the United Nations in 1945. This year marks the UN's 81st anniversary and offers an opportunity to reaffirm the movement to build an international culture of peace. In recognition of this holiday, join Muir Woods rangers for a contemplative walk through the forest. We'll be reflecting on efforts here to add a designated quiet area to the woods to bring peace and quiet to Cathedral Grove, the history of Muir Woods and the United Nations, and the power of peace in all of our lives.

The program is free, but visitors to Muir Woods must make a parking reservation and pay park entry at GoMuirWoods.com. Annual and lifetime park passes can be used to waive entry fees but not parking reservations.

The tour starts at the Entry Archway next to the Visitor Center.

This program has a new registration process as of October 2026. Continue reading for more information.

Ever wondered what Muir Woods is like after the park closes?

Join us on our evening tour to explore what keeps the redwood forest awake when we go to sleep. Step outside your comfort zone and into the ancient, nocturnal setting of Muir Woods for this two-hour, two-mile walk.

After all, we're only visitors in a place where countless animals call home - and many are crepuscular (active at dusk and dawn) or fully nocturnal (active at night). By learning about what animals are in the forest and when, we can better understand how to protect and appreciate the whole ecosystem.

The night tour is a 2-mile round-trip ranger-led walk in Muir Woods National Monument using the Redwood Creek and Hillside trails. Redwood Creek is the primary, highly accessible trail. It is flat with boardwalk and pavement. The Hillside trail is a 0.5-mile trail that runs parallel to Redwood Creek trail. After climbing some stairs about 50 feet above Redwood Creek, the trail flattens out, and then descends back into Redwood Creek trail. It is slightly narrow with steep drop offs in some areas with exposed tree roots.

Groups can reserve up to 4 people on Recreation.gov. Registration for 25 tickets opens at 2PM PDT two weeks before the program date, and 5 more are released at midnight the day before the tour (10/29/26). The program has a $1.00 nonrefundable reservation fee. We recommend that visitors interested in registering create their Recreation.gov account ahead of time and have payment information connected to the account as this is a very popular tour and fills up fast.

Parking reservations are not required for this program unless you plan to arrive more than 1 hour before the tour. Visitors to Muir Woods can make a parking reservation and pay park entry at GoMuirWoods.com. Annual and lifetime park passes can be used to waive entry fees but not parking reservations.

• The hike at Muir Woods is a strenuous 3-mile hike using the Redwood Creek, Canopy View, Lost, and Fern Creek trails.
• All attendees must be at least 8 years old. Minors 8-15 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
• Groups registering are limited to 6 people.
• Sign-ups will be capped at 30 participants and chosen on a first-come first-served basis. A program confirmation email with more details will be sent after the 30 participants limit has been reached or by the Tuesday before the program date. Sign-ups that did not make the 30-participant limit will receive a waitlist email and notified if space is available.