Our Giant Redwoods Have Waited Thousands of Years to Get Crossed Off Your Bucket List!
These trees have been standing around a long time—up to 2,000 years! It’s best not to keep them waiting any longer.
Even if you are planning just a 1- or 2-day tour of San Francisco, you’ll have many easy ways to experience California’s Coastal Redwoods and Giant Sequoias. You’ve never seen trees like these…because there are no trees like these giants!
Ones-of-a-kind trees.
These aren’t just tall trees, they are the largest living things on Earth. The tallest Coastal Redwoods would tower over San Francisco’s famous Coit Tower. If relocated, they would cast some nice shade on top of the U.S Capital dome!
And they’re the oldest living things around. Naturalists estimate that the “Grizzly Giant” tree in Yosemite was a sprout during the reign of Julius Caesar!
See them. Feel them.
There is something special and hard to describe about visiting California’s redwood groves. After a morning with these giants, my guests have called them, “majestic”, “tranquil”, “magical” or just “awesome!”.
These trees inspired naturalist John Muir, photographer Ansel Adams and President of the United States Teddy Roosevelt who said about his night camped under a canopy of Yosemite redwoods, “It was like lying in a great solemn cathedral, far vaster and more beautiful than any built by the hand of man.”
No matter which grove you visit, you will see mist among the treetops, feel leaves and twigs crunching beneath your feet and smell woodsy fresh air. There’s nothing else like it!
Easy reach from San Francisco
The “groves” or communities of trees that dot the Northern California love the local climate, mild temperature, moist air and heavy precipitation.
Okay, ready to go see some redwoods? Here are our favorite groves within 4-5 hours of the City.
Muir Woods is located in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, just a 30-minute trip from San Francisco. So, if you’re short on time and prefer to stay local, Muir Woods is a great choice.
Muir Woods is home to some of the most beautiful California Coastal Redwood trees. Don’t miss the Cathedral (U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt was memorialized here) and Bohemian groves that are easily accessible on the park’s trails.
Jack Armstrong Park is a great way to go if you’d also like to visit Napa or Sonoma Valley. Jack Armstrong is just north of the eclectic town of Guerneville.
Like their famous cousins in Muir Woods and Yosemite, the Jack Armstrong trees are ancient and can stretch to 250 feet tall.
Yosemite’s Tuolumne and Mariposa groves, about a 4-hour drive from San Francisco, have some of the most famous giant redwoods. Here you’ll find trees you’ve seen photos of, like this one you can walk through!
Look for other impressive trees in Yosemite…just ask for them by name: President, Hyperion and Icarus.
Getting there.
Even if you have a car and want to do a 1-day tour of Giant Redwoods, consider taking a bus or public transportation to get there. For one thing, a bus takes the place of dozens of cars. The trees and the park service will thank you for it.
Traffic congestion at Muir Woods National Monument and Yosemite Valley is another good reason to leave the car at home. These parks have become so beloved that access roads are packed and parking a private vehicle anywhere near the trees is a daily challenge.
Instead, sit back and let a “local insider” guide take you there. Your group will arrive relaxed and more informed about the places you’re visiting.
We’ll meet you at the trees!
