John Muir woods vs. Mariposa Grove
 

We have limited time and loved the redwood state park last we visited California. What's better: John Muir (north of San Francisco) or Mariposa Grove in Yosemite?

Different trees. Mariposa has sequoias. With limited time I would suspect you would have to choose depending on where you are spending the rest of your trip. Yosemite is about 4 hours from San Francisco and it would probably take you even longer to get to Mariposa Grove from there.

We liked seeing both (on different trips), but if you have already seen redwoods I would pick Mariposa Grove. John Muir is a much smaller park (the touristy area at any rate).

Dear patiboo:

maj is correct: two different species of redwoods. Coastal are not as massive-girthwise as the Sierra redwoods.

MY

Thanks to both of you. We saw the redwoods in northern CA and LOVED them but wasn't sure if the yosemite Mariposa Grove measured up (pun!) to them. We are scheduled to go to Yosemite anyway so will plan on the mariposa. Any other groves? I'm more interested in the trees than the mountains - hah.

The Sequoias seem as tall to me as the Redwoods, although they really are about 50=100 feet shorter. But the diameter and circumference is 2 to 3 times the size of the redwoods. I think most of the redwoods in muir are only about 10 feet around. The bark alone on the sequoia's can be 3 feet thick. If you go to Mariposa see the Grizzly Giant. It is more than 29 feet in diameter and is over 100 feet in circumference. I think it is around 200 feet tall. Some of the redwoods can be as tall as 350.