Gallery: Ben Johnson Project, Muir Woods, CA

In August 2022, the trail crew at the Golden Gate National Recreation Area began a multi-year reconstruction project of the Ben Johnson Spur in Muir Woods National Monument. This section of trail was originally built in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and to remain aesthetically consistent with the historic CCC-era techniques, the crew is rebuilding structures using whole redwood logs.

Approximately 100 whole redwood logs were reclaimed from the Marin Municipal Water District, where they had been extracted from the Kent Lake reservoir. The crew trucked these logs across Marin County to Pantoll Station, where they could be staged above the worksite on the Deer Park Fire Road.

To transport logs and fill rock down to the steep, switchbacking slope to the worksite, the crew set up a system of two highlines.

As of November 2024, the crew has rebuilt several switchbacks, and replaced one staircase, and installed three new staircases. For the 2024-2025 season, crews will be targeting the final remaining sections of trail for improvement, and beginning additional projects on the Ben Johnson trail below the Stapelveldt junction.

All photos by Joe Gibson.

Crew leader Ky Stormes next to a redwood logs being reclaimed at Kent Lake. 2022.

Crew leader Ky Stormes chains logs to a trailer. 2022.

Logs prepped on trailer to be trucked across Marin County to Pantoll Station. 2022.

Crew member Malachi Campbell removes rotten layers of wood from a reclaimed log. 2022.

A specialized tool called a Log Wizard is utilized to remove rotten layers of wood. 2022.

The crew shoots grade on a section of trail that will be rebuilt with a retaining wall. 2022.

Measuring out sections to be reconstructed with retaining walls. 2022.

Logs are transported to the worksite on a highline. 2022.

Logs are belayed down the highline using a Portawrap. 2022.

Crew member Arturo Gonzalez prepares to receive a load on the highline. 2022. 

Logs are lowered off the highline using a pair of chain hoists. 2022. 

Crew member Matthew Gonzalez uses a transfer scribe to measure notches for a log retaining wall. 2022. 

Crew member Luz Lara uses a gouge to clean up billets for a lap joint. 2022.

Luz Lara and Justin Broadway construct a stringer staircase from whole redwoods logs. 2022.

Joints on a whole log stringer staircase. 2022. 

Matthew Gonzalez drills a hole in a log for rebar. 2022. 

The crew enjoys a well-deserved break. 2022. 

Completed section of retaining wall. 2023. 

A side view of the retaining wall. Large rocks are utilized to plug gaps between tiers. The bolt is the end of an earth anchor. 2023. 

Finished section of trail and staircase. 2023. 

The completed stringer staircase. 2023. 

Trail crew member Justin Broadway plants in a disturbed area as part of the restoration process. The Redwood Creek habitat restoration crew visited the site to assist with the rehabilitation work. 2023. 

Trail crew member Malachi Campbell prepares native grass seedlings for planting as part of the worksite rehab. 2023. 

Monte Cervantes and Hannah Cantor in progress on a staircase built with quartered whole redwood logs. 2023. 

This staircase was cribbed with imported stone, dry set. 2023. 

Canyon Schultz on the near-complete staircase. 2024. 

Completed staircase. 2024. 

Ky Stormes on a new section of retaining wall. 2023. 

This hazard tree was looming over the worksite at a severe angle. Arborists from the Presidio Trust came to cut the top of the tree and assist in setting up rigging to pull the tree down (to avoid a remaining stump). Most of this tree was used in construction of structures on-site. 2023. 

Rolling the fallen hazard tree (after debarking) into position for its eventual use as a single stringer for a staircase. 2023. 

Once the log was in position, the crew milled the top of the log with the Alaska Mill. 2023. 

The crew cut steps into the log using a combination of an Alaska Mill and a beam saw. Cuts were cleaned up with a chainsaw. Additional treads were added to the tops of the steps to gain width (see final image). 2024. 

The crew also built a two-stringer, whole-log staircase immediately below and adjoining the single-log staircase. 2024. 

Conor Horkan textures the tops of the steps. 2024.

Both staircases completed. 2024.