Parking at Muir Woods (See Below for Parking Shuttle)
The parking lot at Muir Woods is small and the crowds are big. If you plan to drive -- especially on weekends and during the prime summer months -- come first thing in the morning if you want to make sure you get a spot.
There is a small overflow lot down the road from the main lot, but it also fills up rapidly. As one visitor put it, "The car in front of us got the last space in the regular lot. By the time we decided what to do and got to the overflow lot we barely got the last space there! What, did cars teleport in front of us?"
There is some roadside parking outside the gates but the road is narrow and by the afternoon it can be a long walk to the entry gate. "Long" in this case can mean "Over a mile."
On weekends and holidays from May through September we recommend taking the shuttle bus (see below) if you're not going up the mountain very early in the morning.
To help orient you, here's a satellite photo of the parking area:
Google Map Instructions: Use the "+" and "-" buttons to zoom in and out, the arrow keys to scroll the map, and the SAT button to see the satellite view.
The Muir Woods Parking Shuttle (May - September)
From May through September, the Muir Woods parking lot routinely fills up early on weekends and holidays, and the roads outside the Park are lined with parked cars as well. During the summer vacation months CalTrans will post a sign at the Highway 1 exit from Highway 101 in Mill Valley that says "Muir Woods Parking Lots Full" and signs point to the free "Manzanita" and "Pohono St." parking lots where you can park and take the Muir Woods Shuttle.
The buses on Route 66 take visitors up to Muir Woods and back to these parking areas. This year the shuttles will run on weekends and holidays from May 1, 2010 to September 26, 2010.
Round-Trip Fares for the shuttle are:
Adults: $3
Youths 6-18, Seniors (65 or Over) or Disabled: $1
Children Under 6: Free
You cannot buy a one way fare, just round trip. The buses accept cash (exact change only), Value Cards or Marin Transit passes, but they don't take Translink, tickets, transfers or credit cards.
The map at the bottom of this page shows the two parking areas -- the Manzanita Lot is marked "B" and the Pohono St. lot is marked "A".
The Route 66 bus picks up at the Pohono St. lot and drops off at the Manzanita lot. Whichever parking lot you choose, you'll have to walk a block under the freeway on the outbound or the return leg. The route between the two lots is well marked with signs. If you're coming from the South and exit off 101 you'll come to the Pohono lot first. If you're coming from the north, exit 101 at Highway 1 and follow the signs, you'll come to the Manzanita lot first.
On most trips (see schedule below) the Route 66 Bus also stops at the Marin City Bus Stop, on Donahue St. near Best Buy in Marin City.
To go into more detail about how the Pohono-Manzanita lots work as a pair (since I'm, one of those people who wants to really know how everything is laid out before I get there):
The Route 66 Bus stops only at the Pohono St. parking lot (on the side of Highway 101 next to the Bay) outbound to Muir Woods. If you park at Manzanita, follow the signs and walk under the freeway top see the clearly marked bus shelter at Pohono. The Pohono St. parking lot is part of an office complex on the edge of the Bay -- turn left after you enter the lot from Pohono and drive towards the Highway 101 Richardson Bay overpass. In front of the building that's closer to the overpass you'll see the signs in the parking lot that say Muir Woods Shuttle.
The Route 66 Bus only stops at the Manzanita parking lot on the way back from Muir Woods. Manzanita is also a major Park and Ride parking lot, and Muir Woods Shuttle passengers can park in any open space. If you left your car at Pohono, follow the signs to walk u7nder the freeway and you'll find yourself back at the Pohono lot.
You can find a complete map of all the shuttle bus stops here.
The Route 66 Muir Woods Shuttle Schedule for 2010
| Dates (Weekends and Holidays Only) |
How Frequently the Bus Will Come During Park Hours | Where the Bus Stops Westbound – Coming to Muir Woods | Where the Bus Stops Eastbound – Returning from Muir Woods |
| May 1, 2 May 8, 9 May 15, 16 May 22, 23 |
Every 30 minutes | Marin City Bus Stop Pohono St. Parking Lot Muir Woods |
Muir Woods Manzanita Parking Lot Marin City Bus Stop |
| SUMMER SCHEDULE May 29 to Sept. 6 (Weekends & Holidays Only) |
Every 20 minutes | Marin City Bus Stop Pohono St. Parking Lot Muir Woods |
Muir Woods Manzanita Parking Lot Marin City Bus Stop |
| SUMMER SCHEDULE (Cont.) |
Select trips meet Sausalito Ferry arrivals at 11:10 AM,
12:30 PM, 1:55 PM and 3:20 PM, and departures at 2:10 PM, 3:50 PM, 5:35 PM & 6:30 PM |
Sausalito Ferry Pier Pohono St. Parking Lot Muir Woods (No service from Marin City Bus Stop) |
Muir Woods Manzanita Parking Lot Sausalito Ferry Pier (No service to Marin City Bus Stop) |
| September 11, 12 September 18, 19 September 25, 26 |
Every 30 minutes | Marin City Bus Stop Pohono St. Parking Lot Muir Woods |
Muir Woods Manzanita Parking Lot Marin City Bus Stop |
Google Map Instructions: Use the "+" and "-" buttons to zoom in and out, the arrow keys to scroll the map, and the SAT button to see the satellite view.
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