Muir Woods/Golden Gate Bridge

The favorite part of the trip for me was our visit to Muir Woods National Monument.  It was established in 1908 to protect old-growth redwood forests along the coast from destruction.  After having spent a few days in the hustle and bustle of the city, it was a nice change to spend an afternoon in nature.

The trees range in age from 400-800 years old.

A fallen tree that shows how old it is by the number of rings it has.  

Some of the trees are 250 ft. high. 

The weather was a bit chilly, but perfect for hiking.

Beauty abounded around every corner.  We felt so small and insignificant among these ancient and huge trees.  

Hayden spied a banana slug on the trail, which from what the ranger said is a rare sight.  

We took a break and listened to the ranger explain the history of the park and how the trees grow to be of such enormous size.

After our hike, we ate lunch at the cute little cafe within the park and were surprised to find only organic, healthy and made fresh options for lunch.  It didn't cost that much more than the cafeteria style food you find at most national parks, and tasted a whole lot better!

On our way back to our hotel, we stopped to take some pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge.

It was a fairly clear day, so there were panoramic views all around.  

We were the only ones there at the time, making the views even more beautiful and peaceful.