SAN FRANCISCO — Muir Woods is one of the Bay Area’s most recognizable National Park Service sites, and on Sept. 17 the entrance fee disappears for eligible U.S. citizens and residents. The parking reservation does not.
That distinction is easy to miss. “Fee-free day” means the normal monument entrance charge is waived for the people covered by the 2026 NPS fee-free policy. It does not mean you can simply drive into Muir Woods without arranging access.
Is Muir Woods really free on Sept. 17?
Entrance is fee-free for eligible U.S. citizens and residents on Thursday, Sept. 17. The National Park Service lists Constitution Day among its 2026 entrance-fee-free dates and says the waiver applies to U.S. citizens and residents.
Muir Woods normally charges $15 for visitors age 16 and older. Children 15 and younger are normally free even outside a fee-free day.
Who qualifies for the free entrance day?
NPS describes the 2026 fee-free dates as applying to U.S. citizens and residents. That wording matters: SF News Today is not describing Sept. 17 as a blanket free-admission day for every possible visitor regardless of status.
The fee waiver covers the park entrance charge. It does not erase separately priced services such as parking reservations.
Do you still need a Muir Woods parking reservation?
Yes, if you are driving. Muir Woods’ official reservation system says parking must be reserved in advance and that parking is not sold onsite.
That means a person who shows up in a car on Sept. 17 without a parking reservation should not assume the entrance-fee waiver creates a parking space or a way around the reservation system.
How much is parking?
The current reservation site lists standard vehicle parking at $10. Other vehicle categories have different prices, but $10 is the relevant figure for a normal passenger vehicle.
Parking reservations use an arrival window. After you enter during that window, the reservation site says you may stay until the monument closes.
Is the Muir Woods shuttle running Sept. 17?
Do not assume normal shuttle service is available just because Sept. 17 is a fee-free day.
The current published shuttle schedule says service operates Friday through Sunday and on federal holidays during September. Sept. 17, 2026 is a Thursday, and Constitution Day is not a federal holiday.
Unless the reservation operator posts special Sept. 17 service, the published schedule does not establish a Thursday shuttle. If shuttle service is added, SF News Today will update this page.
Can you arrive without a reservation?
For drivers, no: the parking system requires an advance reservation. Muir Woods has very limited parking and the reservation operator warns that spaces frequently sell out, especially on busy days.
If Sept. 17 attracts extra visitors because of the entrance-fee waiver, waiting until the last minute creates the obvious risk that the free admission is available but the parking time you want is not.
What should you download before leaving San Francisco?
Save or download your parking reservation before you reach the monument. The reservation system warns that cell service and Wi-Fi are unreliable around Muir Woods.
That is a small practical detail until you are standing near the entrance trying to retrieve a confirmation screen with weak service.
When should you reserve parking?
If you know you want to go on Sept. 17, reserve before the day of the visit rather than treating the fee waiver as a reason to make a spontaneous drive. Parking availability is finite and advance reservations are the gatekeeper for drivers.
The most useful way to think about the day is simple: the trees are fee-free; the car still needs a reservation.
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