John Muir National Historic Site
John Muir’s life was a tapestry of roles—fruit rancher, family man, writer—each interwoven with his deep love for nature. As one of America’s most influential naturalists, Muir was more than just an observer of the wilderness; he was its fiercest advocate. His passion for the land drove him to protect the places he held dear, ensuring that future generations could experience their beauty.
About under an hour from San Francisco, 2 hours from Sacramento and 2 hours from San Jose by car.
Alerts
- InformationMartinez Adobe
The Martinez Adobe, located on the western edge of John Muir’s historic orchard, is currently closed due to structural damage. It is unknown when the public will be able to enter the structure. The Muir/Strentzel mansion remains open to visitors.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| John Muir National Historic Site | Varies by day ▾
|
Hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hoursNow |
|
| Nov 26, 2026Thanksgiving | Closed |
| Dec 25, 2026Christmas Day | Closed |
| Jan 1, 2027New Years Day | Closed |
When to go
April draws the most visits here and December the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- John Muir National Historic Site Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
Main visitor center for the John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez, California. Closed 12:00PM to 1:00PM every day.
Explore
Things to do
- Visit the Strentzel/Muir Home1-1 Hours
The Muir/Strentzel home is located at the main park site and is within walking distance from the visitor center.
Opens on the Park Service site - Strentzel/Muir Gravesite Tour30-30 Minutes
The Muir/Strentzel gravesite is not located on the main property of the John Muir National Historic Site.
Opens on the Park Service site - Mount Wanda Hiking Trail1-2 Hours
Mount Wanda is part of the John Muir National Historic Site, but is not located on the main property. It is short drive to reach the parking lot for the Mount Wanda trail entrance. Directions can be found on the website.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- Anza 250 Campfire Fandango10/1705:00 PM · free
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
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Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for California's national parks
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthEastern Fox Squirrel 81× · American White Pelican 47× · Brown Pelican 31× · Great Horned Owl 28× · Coyote 17× · Belted Kingfisher 13× · Fox Sparrow 9× · Mute Swan 8×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 83 birds, 24 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Barn Owl · Cooper's Hawk · Ferruginous Hawk · Great Horned Owl · Hen Harrier · Red-shouldered Hawk · Red-tailed Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Turkey Vulture · Western Screech-Owl · white-tailed kite
Gamebirds & dovesCalifornia Quail · Common Pigeon · Mourning Dove · Wild Turkey
WoodpeckersAcorn Woodpecker · Downy Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Nuttall's Woodpecker · Red-breasted Sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftsAllen's Hummingbird · Anna's Hummingbird · Rufous Hummingbird · White-throated Swift
Also on the checklistAmerican Bushtit · American Crow · American Goldfinch · American Robin · Ash-throated Flycatcher · Barn Swallow · Bewick's Wren · Black Phoebe · Black-headed Grosbeak · Blue-gray Gnatcatcher · Bullock's Oriole · California towhee · Cassin's vireo · Cedar Waxwing · Chestnut-backed Chickadee · Chipping Sparrow · Cliff swallow · Common Starling · Dark-eyed Junco · Fox Sparrow · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Hermit Thrush · House Finch · House Sparrow · House Wren · Hutton's Vireo · Lark Sparrow · Lawrence's Goldfinch · Lazuli Bunting · Lesser Goldfinch · Mallard · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Raven · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Oak titmouse · Pacific-slope flycatcher · Pine Siskin · Purple Finch · Red-winged Blackbird · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Song Sparrow · Spotted towhee · Steller's Jay · Swainson's Thrush · Tree Swallow · Varied Thrush · Violet-green Swallow · Warbling Vireo · Western Bluebird · Western Meadowlark · Western Tanager · Western Wood Pewee · Western scrub-jay · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-crowned Sparrow · Wrentit · brown creeper
Small mammalsBrush Deermouse · California meadow vole · Dusky-footed Woodrat · Eastern Fox Squirrel · House Mouse · Western harvest mouse
PredatorsCommon Gray Fox · Coyote · Striped Skunk · common raccoon
Hoofed mammalsDomestic Horse · Mule Deer
BatsBig Brown Bat · Black Bat · Brazilian Free-tailed Bat · California Myotis · Fringed Myotis · Hoary Bat · Little Brown Bat · Red Bat · Yuma Myotis
Also on the checklistDomestic cat · Eurasian Wild Pig · domestic dog
Activities
Activity guides for this park Hiking in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
Weather & climate
The Mediterranean climate of Martinez features hot, dry summers with lower temperatures near 60º F and upper temperatures near 100º F. The heat gives way to cool, rainy winters with lows near 45º F and highs near 75º F. Fall and spring can bring rain and temperatures from 55-80º F. March to April: wet/dry, 60-80º F May to September: very dry, 60-100º+ F October to November: dry/wet, 55-80º F December to February: wet, 45-75º F
Questions people ask
Does John Muir charge an entrance fee?
No. John Muir is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at John Muir?
Standard hours are 10:00AM - 5:00PM on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and it is closed on Sunday and Monday. Dated exceptions are listed under Hours.
Source: National Park Service
Is anything closed at John Muir right now?
1 active alert as of October 14, 2026: Martinez Adobe.
Source: Alerts
How busy is John Muir?
38,384 recreation visits in 2025, number 285 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at John Muir?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is the weather like at John Muir?
The Mediterranean climate of Martinez features hot, dry summers with lower temperatures near 60º F and upper temperatures near 100º F. The heat gives way to cool, rainy winters with lows near 45º F and highs near 75º F.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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