Fish

Adult Coho Salmon

Salmon in Redwood Creek

At Muir Woods, we have two different species of salmon; the Coho or Silver salmon and the Steelhead salmon (formerly steelhead trout). The adults may be seen in the winter as they return home to Redwood Creek to spawn and give life to the next generation. The adult Coho Salmon can typically be seen in the creek December - January. The Steelhead follows soon after and can be seen late January - early March. Although the Coho begin and end their lives in Redwood Creek, the Steelhead battle their way up the creek, spawn and race back out to sea in hopes to return home the following year to Redwood Creek.

On occasion biologists can be seen hard at work conducting fish surveys in Redwood Creek to monitor three crucial periods in the life cycle of coho salmon: junvenille, smolt, and adult. Information will be collected both on a population and individual level in all three monitoring periods.

Young salmon were safely fished out of Redwood Creek in the summer of 2014 and brought to Warm Springs Fish Hatchery in Lake Sonoma as a temporary measure to prevent extirpation of the species in Redwood Creek. These salmon will be brought back to Muir Woods when they are ready to spawn.

Because coho are an endangered species and steelhead are threatened, the National Park Service is responsible for monitoring and protecting these populations. They have undertaken a huge effort to learn more about the size, distribution, and behavior of these populations, understand their habitat requirements, and engage federal, state, and local stakeholders in their protection. Learn more about the Redwood Renewal project which wil help enhance salmon habiat.

Want to learn more? Find out about salmon research and populations in Redwood Creek and beyond.