SF 3 of 4: Muir Woods National Monument

The Golden Gate National Recreation Area protects areas throughout the San Francisco bay area that might be considered quintessential northern California landscapes–craggy cliffs overlooking the sea, beaches pounded by towering Pacific Ocean surf, Marin Headlands peaks disappearing into the fog.

The old-growth coast redwood forest of Muir Woods National Monument is no exception. Until the last century or so, many valleys along the northern California coast were covered with majestic redwoods like these ones, which John Muir declared were”the best tree-lover’s monument that could possibly be found in all the forests of the world.”

You can view and purchase photos of the Muir Woods National Monument here.