John Muir National Historic Site

Address:Martinez, California
Tel: (925) 228-8860

Come pay tribute to John Muir, noted author and naturalist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries! The John Muir National Historic Site preserves the Victorian home of Muir and honors the "Father of the National Park Service" by helping to preserve the country's precious wilderness.

This 325 acre tract of oak woodland and grassland was once owned by the Muir family and today, the Historic Site preserves the 14 room mansion where naturalist John Muir lived from 1890 to his death in 1914. While living in Martinez, Muir played a major role in the area's natural preservation, including saving the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park from being dammed and creating several other national parks in the country. Muir also served as the first president and one of the founders of the Sierra Club, today one of the largest environmental organizations in the country. Muir's work laid the foundations for the creation of the National Park Service in 1916; in 1964, the Muir house and historic Martinez adobe (a house built by Don Vicente Martinez, the namesake of the area, in 1849) officially became part of the National Park Service. Visitors to John Muir National Historic Site are invited to indulge in the wooden boxes filled with fruit that are picked from among the nine park acres of fruit orchard by staff and placed around the park. Along with nut trees, this site is brimming with wildflowers, found primarily on Mt. Wanda, the natural area where wildflower and bird walks are offered by rangers during the spring. If you choose to explore here, just remember to wear comfortable shoes and bring water along with you. And if visiting in the summer months, don't miss the Full Moon walks (reservations required).

To get to John Muir National Historic Site, take I-80 eastbound to Highway 4 eastbound. Exit at Alhambra Avenue, make a left at the bottom of the ramp, cross under the highway and the Site will on your left. Nature lovers will appreciate learning more about the man whose goal of natural preservation resulted in the creation of national parks all over the California/Sierra Nevada area!