Notes: John Muir is the 29th tallest tree in Humboldt Redwoods State Park and the 7th tallest tree on Middle Bull Creek Flat. Cal Poly Humboldt forestry professor Stephen C. Sillett and naturalist Michael W. Taylor named the tree to honor naturalist John Muir, the father of our National Park System and patron saint of the American wilderness, whose activism led to the establishment of several national parks and to the preservation of forests in the western United States. John Muir is also the 14th fastest-growing redwood yet measured; it grew an average of 29.5 ft³ (0.84 m³) and 912 lb (414 kg) each year over a recent decade. The area surrounding John Muir is also known as Patriarch Forest and Patriarch Grove.

Sillett photographed the flat-topped crown of Bull Creek Giant from the crown of John Muir and the intermingled crowns of John Muir and Pipe Dream from the crown of Bull Creek Giant.

Drive: John Muir is 196 mi (315 km) north of San Francisco near the community of Weott.

Northbound: From U.S. Highway 101 just north of Weott, take exit 663 South Fork Honeydew and turn left onto California State Route 254 (Avenue of the Giants). Drive north 0.2 mi (0.3 km) on California State Route 254 (Avenue of the Giants) and turn left, under the bridge, onto Mattole Road.

Southbound: From U.S. Highway 101 just north of Weott, take exit 663 South Fork Honeydew and turn right onto Mattole Road.

Drive west 4.4 mi (7.1 km) on Mattole Road to the entrance for the Big Trees Day Use Area. Turn left here and continue to the Big Trees Day Use Area parking lot.

Hike: GPS-assisted navigation is recommended for this hike. From the parking lot, hike toward Bull Creek and cross the seasonal footbridge, if available. The trail veers left/east just after you cross the footbridge. In 400 ft (122 m), turn right/south toward Giant Tree. Pass to the right of Giant Tree and, when you reach the first Bull Creek Flats trail marker, turn left. When you reach the Johnson Camp Trail sign, turn left again toward the Bull Creek Trail sign. In approximately 2.0 mi (3.2 km), you will encounter a cut log on your right next to a splintered log on your left. Turn left just past the next tree beside the trail and, using a GPS device, follow a small gully north/downhill 464 ft (141 m) off-trail to Bull Creek Giant. As you hike down the gully, walk over a log, veer to your left, and then pass under another log to reach the valley floor. Continue straight across the valley floor until you see a long, fallen log on your left. Follow this fallen log, past Bull Creek Giant, and hike northeast 400 ft (122 m) off-trail to John Muir. After visiting John Muir, hike northeast 50 ft (15 m) off-trail to Pipe Dream, hike southwest 400 ft (122 m) off-trail to Bull Creek Giant, hike west 0.1 mi (0.2 km) off-trail to Harriett Weaver, or hike northwest 0.25 mi (0.40 km) off-trail to Minaret.

Shortcut: If Bull Creek is low enough to wade across, take this shortcut to Middle Bull Creek Flat which reduces hiking time by 50 minutes each way. Park at a turnout on the right/north side of Mattole Road near Cow Creek. Using a GPS device, from the turnout, hike southwest 0.15 mi (0.24 km) off-trail, following Cow Creek, to Bull Creek. Cross Bull Creek and hike southeast another 0.2 mi (0.3 km) off-trail to John Muir.

Creek Warning: John Muir is not accessible from the Big Trees Day Use Area parking lot when Bull Creek has high water levels and the seasonal footbridge is not installed. It is best to visit John Muir from July through October when Bull Creek is low enough to wade across. To visit John Muir whenever Bull Creek is impassable, use the 1.0 mi (1.6 km) longer alternate route via Grasshopper Road instead.

View John Muir Tree location in Google Maps

Photos: Pictures of John Muir Tree taken from different sides