Muir Woods was named after naturalist, writer and explorer John Muir, who studied at the University of Wisconsin in the late 1850's. It occupies seven acres on the steep north-­facing slope of the lake, extending from Observatory Drive to the Lake Shore Path and the Limnology Lab. In the early days of the University, students gathered firewood in the woods for heating their rooms in nearby South Hall. A ski jump was built and maintained for many years just east of the present woods.  In the 1950's, a portion of the woods was destroyed to make room for the Social Sciences Building. The resultant outcry led to an agreement by the University to protect the remainder of the woods from further development.

For more information on Muir Woods history, see:

• Muir Woods and the Social Science Building Controversy

Located between the top of Bascom hill and Lake Mendota, the erosion problems in Muir Woods are mostly caused by runoff from University buildings and streets. These problems are compounded by the steep slope of Muir Woods, the lack of ground layer plants due to shading by invasive plants like buckthorn, and the proliferation of paths going down this steep hill. 

Beginning in 2005, a project to improve Muir Woods and the Lakeshore Path began. Muir Woods is used for education at a variety of levels. For instance, University student mentors from Chadbourne Hall introduced Lincoln Elementary School students to the ecology of the Woods. For more information, see:

• Muir Woods and Lakeshore Path Enhancement in Progress
• The Muir Woods Outreach Project

In 2003 Muir Knoll and the nearby Muir Woods suffered a gypsy moth outbreak. To learn more about gypsy moths, see:

•  Gypsy Moths at Muir Knoll