Muir Woods gets the crowds, but the house where John Muir actually lived and wrote is in Martinez, right next to State Route 4, which is signed as the John Muir Parkway. It's free and rarely crowded.

The house and the man

Dr. John Strentzel, Muir's father-in-law, built the 14-room Italianate Victorian mansion in 1883. Muir went into partnership with him to manage a 2,600-acre fruit ranch. Muir and his wife, Louisa, moved into the house in 1890, and he lived there until his death in 1914, according to Wikipedia's history of the site. The National Park Service describes him as a fruit rancher and family man as well as a writer.

While living there, Muir co-founded the Sierra Club and served as its first president, fought the damming of Yosemite's Hetch Hetchy Valley, and wrote many of the articles and books that helped lay the groundwork for the National Park Service. His study, which he called his "scribble den," still has his original desk.

The house became a National Historic Site in 1964. It is also California Historical Landmark No. 312 and a National Historic Landmark. Mount Wanda, named for one of Muir's two daughters, was added in 1988. The park also includes the Vicente Martínez Adobe.

What to do

  • Watch the film: "A Glorious Journey" is a 20-minute movie about Muir's role in conservation.
  • Tour the house and grounds: the main site covers 9 acres, including the house and orchards, and you can explore at your own pace.
  • Hike Mount Wanda: the oak woodland and grassland trails are open daily from sunrise to sunset.
  • Visit the gravesite: the Strentzel and Muir gravesite is open to pedestrians and cyclists Monday through Friday, 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Hours, cost and parking

The visitor center and main grounds at 4202 Alhambra Ave. are open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. They're closed Sundays and Mondays, and the house closes at 4:30 p.m. The park is also closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Entry is free, and there's a small free parking lot. The park doesn't sell national park passes; the NPS suggests getting one at Muir Woods or San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.

The NPS warns that hours can change without notice, so check its current-conditions page before you go. For more of Martinez's history along the water, see our Carquinez Strait shoreline guide.