John Muir was one of the country’s first environmental activists. Among his longest lasting accomplishments, he founded the Sierra Club and helped establish Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks.
Early Life
Born in Scotland, Muir immigrated to the United States at the age of nine. After studying geology and botany at the University of Wisconsin, he set off to explore nature, chronicling his adventures and the landscape around him as he traveled. Muir walked from Indiana to Florida, and later sailed to California where he walked from San Francisco to the Sierra Nevada. Muir then spent time working in and exploring Yosemite Valley, where his observations resulted in a novel theory that the valley was created by glaciers.
Environmental Advocacy
As early as 1876, Muir began to publish articles advocating conservation. His detailed descriptions of nature, and man’s spiritual relationship to it, attracted a wide readership and resulted in the publication of his articles in prestigious magazines, such as Overland Monthly, Scribner’s and Harper’s Magazine. He also used the platform to lobby Congress to establish Yosemite National Park, which it did in 1890. Muir also played a prominent role in the establishment of Sequoia and General Grant National Parks.
In 1892, Muir founded the Sierra Club, which was dedicated to environmental advocacy and conservation. He served as the organization’s president until his death. He also used his considerable influence to shape public policy. In 1903, Muir famously embarked on a three-night camping trip with President Theodore Roosevelt. During their time in the wilderness, Muir convinced Roosevelt to place Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove under federal protection as part of Yosemite National Park. The trip would further shape the President’s conservation policies.
Muir Woods National Monument
In recognition of his tremendous impact on America’s conservation history, Muir Woods National Monument, a grove of redwood trees in California, bear his name. John Muir Trail, a 211-mile hiking trail in the Sierra Nevada, was named in his honor
