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Muir Woods National MonumentJohn Muir / Muir Woods National Monument
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Muir Woods National Monument
History & Culture
Kent and Mather standing at the base of Pinchot tree.

W. Kent and S. Mather standing at the base of the Pinchot tree at Muir Woods National Monument.

Muir Woods has a rich and varied history, from its use by the Coast Miwok people, to its early days of tourism, to an era of conservation, to modern preservation. In each era, the forest has been affected by the actions of humans, for better or for worse.

Explore our history pages to learn more about the people and timeline!

See a synopsis of the Proclamation declaring Muir Woods a National Monument or learn the complete history of Muir Woods National Monument, by downloading the Muir Woods Historic Resource Study (25MB, PDF file).

Sunrays reaching down through the forest canopy of the Coast Redwood trees.  

Did You Know?
Although once found across the northern hemisphere, Coastal Redwoods only exist along a narrow 500 mile coastal strip in northern California and southern Oregon.

Last Updated: November 11, 2008 at 14:39 EST