Muir Woods:
National monument to reopen Monday with limited services.
Muir Woods National Monument will reopen to the public on Monday, becoming the latest and one of the last sites in the National Park Service to welcome people back after closing because of the coronavirus.
Visitors to the redwood forest should expect some changes, though. Admission to the Marin County site will be even more limited than it was, as park administrators try to keep crowds thin and prevent the spread of the virus. The 4,000 slots typically allotted for visitors each day, via an online reservation system, are being trimmed to 1,700.
Also, the visitor center will be closed, and no tours or guided hikes will be offered, though park rangers will be around to provide information. The public may see certain trails designated as oneway. Face coverings are not required, but encouraged.
“Like any park, we want to manage it to make sure folks aren’t bunching up and that people are social distancing,” said Charlie Strickfaden, spokesman for the national monument.
Muir Woods closed in March, as did many national park properties. But because of its popularity and relatively small size, it has remained shut down longer than most. Each year, nearly 1 million people visit the redwood grove, drawn to trees that soar to 250 feet and meandering creeks amid the ferns. Before the site began requiring reservations, visitation was even higher.
Reservations for the monument are scheduled to resume on Friday at the website GoMuirWoods.com. The operating hours, starting Monday, will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Restrooms will be open, and the Muir Woods Trading Co. will have at least some food and souvenirs for sale. The shuttle will not operate.
While park officials acknowledge that it might be harder to get in and that services will be reduced, they said it’s a good time to visit for those who want to see the site without the usual crowds.
“This is a chance to have a really quiet experience in Muir Woods,” Strickfaden said.
While most of nearby Point
Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area have reopened, Fort Point and Alcatraz remain closed. Fort Point in San Francisco is expected to resume operations midJuly and Alcatraz at the end of the summer.
Meanwhile, ferries to Angel Island State Park from Tiburon are scheduled to return to service July 2.