Muir Woods Hike

We'll meet at the intersection of US Hwy. 1 and Frank Valley/Muir Woods Rd., (next to the town of Muir Beach). There is a long, wide shoulder on the north side of Frank Valley/Muir Woods Rd. Lots of unrestricted parking here. (We are not parking or meeting along Highway #1.)

It's about a 2 mile hike to Muir Wds along the Redwood Cr trail.
About six mi.hike. Elev. gain 100'. Bring water, snacks, hat, hiking boots&sunscreen.
Try lunch after at the excellent Mill Valley Market takeout buffet. Picnic tables in the Depot Park.
3 visitors are allowed with each Nat'l Parks Golden Eagle pass. If you have a pass bring it.

Guest policy: Guests are welcome to join the Meetup in order to attend an event.This is the only Guest policy available.Guests must join the Meetup!(If hardship is involved, let me know.)
If you are interested in the nature of things out there, especially around Mt.Tam read on:
Quoting the Nat'l Audubon Society authors. "No other region of North America has the great diversity of natural areas, flora and fauna or awesome natural beauty found in the 158,693 sq. miles of the great state of California. "The Nat'l Audubon Society-Field Guide to California", goes on to explain:
The habitats of Calif. are divisions of the natural landscapes defined by their plant communities. The creatures that can exist there are dependent on those plants for their survival.
Factors that influence an area’s habitats are:
1. Availability of water.
2. The shape or contouring elevations of the land.
3. Soils and underlying rock types.
4. Climate (temperature, precipitation, directional exposure and wind).

The Field Guide goes on to list the eight characteristic habitats found in California:
1. High Sierra Nevada Habitats.
2. Habitats of Other Mountains: Coast Range., Transverse, Cascade, Peninsular Ranges, Desert Mountains & Klamath Mountains. (Calif. has over 6000 named mountains.)
3. Coastal & Island Habitat: Rocky or Sandy&Dune Coasts&Channel Islands. Beaches.
4. Deserts: Great Basin, Mojave and the Colorado deserts.
5. Grasslands of the Central Valley: namely Grasses and Vernal Pools.
6. Coniferous Forests: Redwood, Yellow Pine, Temperate Rain Forests, Douglas Fir & Mixed Evergreen Forests.
7. Chaparral (habitat unique to Calif.) & Coastal Scrub
8. Foothill Oak Woodlands: Calif.Oaks, 20 oak species found in Calif. 10 are endemic.
Most of the above 8 hab. can be identified on Mt.Tam, fr, the beaches to East Pk. (See factors that influence an area’s habs. above.)