 North
of the Golden Gate, and less than an hour from Downtown is Muir Woods,
another part of the Golden gate National Recreation Area. Here you
can enjoy a serenely majestic, ancient redwood forest that is truly unique.
The winding drive to the forest through the Marin Headland hills is breath-taking.
In California, there are
two different species of redwood. The coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)
is what you will find in Muir Woods. Though most of old-growth coast redwoods
have been logged, some are protected. The forest at Muir Woods was spared
only because it was so inaccessible.
  The
coast redwoods are the tallest living things on God's Green Earth. The
Bohemian and Cathedral groves contain the biggest trees in Muir Woods —
one 252 feet tall and one 14 feet in diameter. Most of these trees range
in age of 800 to 1000 years old!
How are these noble sentinels
able to grow so old? The coast redwoods have been able to mature and have
survive fires due to their thick bark. The bark is spongy and fibrous and
can range in thickness anywhere from 6 to 12 inches. The bark acts as insulation
against fire damage. The forest's long-term ecological well-being actually
benefits from fires because it clears the floor of duff so redwood seeds
can germinate in mineral-rich soil.
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