Just a short drive over the Golden Gate Bridge you’ll find this awe-inspiring old-growth coast redwood forest in Mill Valley, California. It is the only old-growth coast redwood forest in the Bay Area and one of the last in the world. We love it because it has boardwalk trails and dirt paths you can walk on and hiking trails for the more experienced hikers. It’s also a place to discover various sorts of flora and fauna you might not see elsewhere.

Coast redwood trees can live up to 2,200 years and are considered to be the tallest type of tree in the world. The oldest coast redwood tree at Muir Woods is 1,200 years old, with the average age of coast redwood trees there being 600-800 years old.

We always feel so small standing next to the redwoods at Muir Woods. The tallest redwood tree in the forest reaches 258 feet high, which is 47 feet shorter than the Statue of Liberty. These coast redwoods are mighty impressive that’s for sure – my photos here do nothing to convey the sense of awe you get while standing next to them. What’s more amazing is how quiet it is there, that is if you can get your kids to hold off asking questions long enough to hear the silence!

This year we made our annual trip to Muir Woods in mid-December. We were pleasantly surprised that the weather was still warm enough to enjoy the scenery without having to race back to the car to keep warm. Each time we visit Muir Woods we experience something different than the time before. And the kids certainly never get tired of it. Our two year old calls it the “special rainforest”. I keep telling him it’s similar to a rainforest, minus the monkeys, heat, and humidity.

Last summer we saw deer feeding in the woods, but this time they seemed to be busy elsewhere. Other Muir Woods wildlife includes owls, woodpeckers, Pacific wren, endangered coho salmon fingerlings, chipmunks, skunks, river otters, squirrels, stellar jays, banana slugs - the list goes on.

My 19 year old niece, on holiday leave from the Navy, came along with us this year. She has a passion for photography, so she quickly got busy clicking away at all the interesting vegetation. Here’s some of the wonderful pictures she took along the way…

Well that last one I took of her and the kids.

If you’re in the area and want to get away from the city for a while, head to Muir Woods where you can spend quality time outdoors with the family, escape to complete silence (if the kids participate) and marvel at the beauty of the coast redwoods. We enjoy it every time we go and will continue to visit for years to come.

Whimsical Kids Canvas receives no royalties for featuring Muir Woods.