Muir Woods on a Budget: How We Hiked to the Redwoods by Public Bus

When you look up how to visit Muir Woods from San Francisco, almost everything tells you to book a tour, drive and reserve parking, or take the shuttle. We were on a backpacker’s budget and none of that worked for us. So we took the public bus, got off at a small hotel on the hillside, and walked down into the redwoods. This was in September 2024, during our year of backpacking.

Muir Woods is about 30 minutes north of San Francisco, and some of the redwood trees here are close to two thousand years old. We think everyone visiting the Bay Area should do at least one hike here, and you really don’t need a car or a tour to do it.

Here is how we did it, and everything you need to know before you go.

How we got there by public bus

We were staying on Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco. Our plan was to start the hike from Mountain Home Inn, a hotel on Panoramic Highway above the forest, because there was no weekday shuttle when we went.

This is the route we took:

1. Bus 130 or 150 from “Van Ness Ave & Bush St” to the Marin City Hub (Donahue St & Terners Dr).
2. Bus 61 (towards Bolinas) from Marin City to “Panoramic Hwy & Edgewood Ave”, which is the stop at Mountain Home Inn.

From there, a marked trail goes down through the forest and joins the Canopy View trail of Muir Woods.

What we spent

This is what the day cost the two of us:

• Bus there and back: $43 for both of us
• Lunch: $0, we carried our own food
• Dinner in Sausalito on the way back: $17
• Entrance fee: $15 per person (free on fee-free days)

So budget about $90 for two people, including the entrance fee.

Bus routes and timings change, so check your trip on 511.org or Google Maps the day before. Bus 61 doesn’t run very often, so note the return times before you lose signal.

If you are driving

You need a parking reservation to park at the Muir Woods entrance. You book it online at gomuirwoods.com, choose a 30-minute arrival window, and can then stay as long as you like. It cost about $9 per vehicle when we checked. Parking often sells out on weekends and holidays.

Our tip: there is free parking near Mountain Home Inn. We saw it ourselves: space for around 27 cars on Panoramic Highway in front of the inn, from 7 am to sunset. You can park there and take the same trail down that we did, without a parking reservation.

The Muir Woods shuttle

There is also a Muir Woods shuttle, but it doesn’t run every day. In 2026 it runs from the Larkspur Ferry Terminal on Fridays, weekends and holidays until October, and you need to reserve a seat at gomuirwoods.com. We didn’t use it, so check the latest shuttle details before you plan around it.

Entrance fee and opening hours

The entrance fee is $15 per person for everyone aged 16 and over, and children under 16 go free. This applies whether you drive in or walk in from a trail, so buy your pass online before you go. If you have a national park annual pass, it covers the entrance fee.

What walking in from Mountain Home Inn saves you: the parking reservation, the shuttle booking and any tour. Parking near Mountain Home Inn is free, so the only costs are your bus fares (or fuel) and the entrance fee.

Want to get in completely free? The National Park Service has a few fee-free days every year when no entrance fee is charged. Check the list before you go, and plan your visit for one of those days if you can.

The park is open every day. It opens at 8 am and closes at 5 or 6 pm depending on the season. Check the current hours and closures on the National Park Service website before you go.

Things to know before you go

There is no cell service

There is no signal near the Muir Woods entrance or inside the park. This matters more than it sounds:

• Download or print your parking reservation and entrance pass before you leave. You can’t open your email at the gate.
• If you plan to take an Uber or Lyft there, have a plan for getting back, because you won’t be able to book a ride from inside the park.
• If you are taking the bus like us, note the return bus times in advance.

What to wear

Muir Woods is in Marin County, which is known for cool, foggy days. The redwoods block most of the sun, so the forest stays cool even when it’s warm outside. Wear layers. After heavy rain the trails can get very muddy, so wear shoes with good grip.

How difficult is the hike?

There are several trails inside Muir Woods. We did the Canopy View loop and also walked across all four bridges on the main trail. If you have about 3 hours, we’d recommend it.

We found it relatively easy. The trail is well marked, so it’s hard to get lost. The start is mostly downhill and the end is a long uphill climb back to Mountain Home Inn. After rain it can be harder because of the mud.

The trail, section by section

The Canopy View trail is easy to follow. We’ve split it into three parts.

1. Mountain Home Inn to the Canopy View trail (about 1 km)

Get off bus 61 or park your car. There are a couple of toilets and a water refilling station near the parking area.

The trail starts at the corner of the road, heading downhill. Walk down a short way, then turn left when you reach the paved road. On a sunny day the views along this road are supposed to be amazing. Unfortunately for us it was foggy, so we couldn’t see much.

At the end of the paved road you’ll see the marked trail for Canopy View. From here it’s about 0.4 km downhill, ending with a series of fenced switchbacks. After the switchbacks you enter the forest. It isn’t redwoods yet, but it will be soon.

You then reach the Canopy View trail intersection. Going left takes you down to the visitor center. We went right and did the full loop back to this point.

2. The loop via Lost Trail and Fern Creek

Turning right at the intersection puts you on Lost Trail, which is downhill all the way. It’s not hard, but it’s a bit steep, so trekking poles help. Some parts have a lot of tree roots, so watch your step. Overall the trails were in very good condition.

At the end of Lost Trail you reach the Fern Creek trail. Don’t cross the bridge here. Turn left instead. Soon after the turn you’ll see one of the biggest redwood trees in the park.

There’s a grove at the end of Fern Creek where you can sit and relax for a while.

A little further on, you reach the main trail. Turning right takes you along the main trail and its bridges. For the Canopy View trail, turn left and walk through Cathedral Grove until you see the sign for the Canopy View trail.

3. Canopy View trail back to Mountain Home Inn (about 1.5 km uphill)

At the Canopy View sign, turn right and start climbing the stairs. From here it’s about 1.5 km uphill to the intersection, but it’s a beautiful stretch and you leave the crowds behind very quickly.

The climb is gradual and winds along the ridge, with a few small bridges and some lovely views across the tops of the trees. You’ll also see a lot of younger redwoods on this part. At the intersection there’s a bench to rest, and then you walk back uphill on the same path you came down from Mountain Home Inn.

What to carry

• your entrance pass and any reservations, downloaded or printed
• a water bottle (you can refill it near Mountain Home Inn)
• a warm layer or light jacket
• shoes with good grip, and trekking poles if you have them
• some snacks for the grove at Fern Creek

Final thoughts

Walking among trees that are almost two thousand years old is hard to describe. They are so tall and so old that it honestly felt like being inside a huge cathedral. It was very quiet, with just the sound of the leaves and Redwood Creek running beside the trail, and it was a nice break from the city.

We felt really grateful that we got to see this place, and it also made us realise how important it is to protect forests like this, so people can still walk here years from now.

If you are in San Francisco on a budget, don’t let the tours and parking reservations put you off. Take the bus, walk in from Mountain Home Inn, and give yourself about 3 hours in the forest.

Have you done Muir Woods a different way, or have questions about the bus route? Message us on Instagram @mappingminimalists or write to us at [email protected].

We did this hike in September 2024. Bus routes, parking and shuttle details change. We’ve checked the fees and shuttle information as of October 2026, but please confirm on the official sites before you go.