Streaming Video
“John Muir: A Glorious Journey” by National Park Service. A 20-minute introductory film shown on demand throughout the day at John Muir National Historic Site, Martinez, California. Covers the story of Muir’s life, with special emphasis on his life in Martinez, and his efforts for Yosemite National Park and Hetch Hetchy. Unavailable for purchase, this film is highly recommended for viewing on site at the John Muir National Historic Site or on You Tube:
- John Muir: A Glorious Journey – Official NPS website – 22 min.
- John Muir: A Glorious Journey – Complete film on YouTube – provided by aprilhareau
Life and Letters of John Muir – video interview introductions of 2023 centennial edition. (off-site link)
Videos discussing the 100th anniversary edition of The Life and Letters of John Muir published in 2022 and 2023 in print, ebook, and audiobook format by Crazy Wisdom Publishing. Volume 1 Introduction and Preface by Michael Conti and Stephen Hatch. Volume 2 Introduction by Mike Wurtz and Epilogue by Harold W. Wood, Jr.
Bill Oliver – Songs of our Conservation Heritage– (YouTube) – Meet eco-musician Bill Oliver and hear a set of his original songs of our Conservation Heritage – featuring John Muir and his legacy, including William O. Douglas and Dave Brower, along with songs about Muir’s Hetch Hetchy, and ending with his biggest hit, “Have to Have a Habitat.” Recorded live on Zoom, September 3, 2020.
Streaming Video. Free streaming video available from Huell Howser California’s Gold Archive from Chapman University. Huell Howser Productions, 2004. 30 minutes.
“California’s Golden Parks: John Muir Home” #129″. Streaming Video. Free streaming video available from Huell Howser California’s Gold Archive from Chapman University. Huell Howser Productions, 2004. 30 minutes.
Part of Huell Howser’s “California’s Golden Parks” television series, this episode involves views and interviews conducted on location at John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez, the Victorian residence in Martinez where the naturalist John Muir lived from 1890 to his death in 1914. After a brief introductory interview of National Park Service spokesman Tad Shay and a visit to Muir’s “scribble den,” Huell interviews the woman, Faire Sax, who, with her husband Henry, was responsible for restoring and preserving this important site, and then placing it under the protection of the National Park Service. An inspiring example of the difference one or a few people can make!
On C-Span.gov:
Conservationist John Muir presented by Harold Wood, introduced by Doug McConnell.
Conservationist John Muir presented by Harold Wood, introduced by Doug McConnell. C-Span aired this presentation by Harold Wood on the legacy of John Muir made for the California Historical Society on November 13, 2014. A brief excerpt is included on a Facebook video of John Muir as the Father of Modern Ecology published by “Brut Nature.”
“Carlo, The Sierra Coyote“ – From “The Wonderful World of Disney” television series (Season 20, Episode 16, 48 min., Original airdate: February 3, 1974). The first 3 minutes of this “nature drama” tells the story of John Muir, with vignettes of him sauntering in the wilderness, and excerpts from his writings. Starring Dale Alexander as John Muir, and Walker Edmiston as the Voice of John Muir. The remainder of the program focuses on the triumphs and trials of a coyote who lost his home to a bulldozer, but who thrives in the same Sierra wilderness that Muir so loved.
“John Muir Was Not a Hiker” – Video Interview of Harold Wood by the Irish Hiiker Podcast. (November 30, 2023). (YouTube)
“The Unruly Mystic: John Muir” (2018 original; updated in 2021, with a new cut of the film known as The Scotland Cut, exclusively available on Vimeo.com)
John Muir- Disney Public Service Announcement: “Great minds Think 4 Themselves”
Featuring “The Genie” (voiced by Robin Williams) from the Disney feature “Aladdin” (1997)
“The Unruly Mystic: John Muir” (2018 original; updated in 2021, with a new cut of the film known as The Scotland Cut, exclusively available on Vimeo.com) – Documentary. 1 hour 10 minutes. This film focuses on the uniquely spiritual or mystical insights to be gained from of the remarkable life and writings of John Muir. John Muir was among the first to teach us that the gift of wild nature has unparalleled value for its spiritual nourishment, yet his message continues to be a primary inspiration today. Outstanding video photography of “nature’s temples” are intertwined with perceptive interviews from people who are inspired by nature’s beauty, and who were often inspired to encounter that beauty by John Muir. The filmmaker combines his own special sense of connectedness with nature – – something that goes beyond mere “outdoor recreation” — with insights about Muir and the sacredness of nature from psychologists, authors, park rangers, and practitioners from varied spiritual traditions, as well as from everyday people. The film engagingly goes beyond just quoting Muir in the soundtrack (by a narrator with a Scottish accent), but provides the written words on screen to help the reader fully engage with Muir’s message. As followers of Muir attest, today we recognize the necessity of not just passively enjoying nature, but for actively working to protect nature’s treasures in order for everyone to experience them.
Yellowstone to Yosemite with Kevin Costner
A 3 part limited series focuses on the story of John Muir and his epic 1903 camping trip with President Theodore Roosevelt. The series travels from Glacier Point to El Capitan to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias to Yosemite Falls, with spectacular visuals of the iconic geology, flora, and fauna of present-day Yosemite. Interspersed with this, in the first part, is how Theodore Roosevelt grew up to love the wild, and aksed John Muir to lead him on a camping trip in Yosemite. Part two focuses on the life of John Muir, and how Muir showed the President the marvels of Yosemite and stimulated him to protect the wild places of Yosemite and the rest of America. The third part tells the sad story of the Native Americans in Yosemite, but ends with the good story of how Muir’s journey with Roosevelt led to the president signing legislation that added Yosemite Valley to the National Park System, and using the Antiquities Act to create many national monuments from Devils Tower to Petrified Forest to the Grand Canyon. After the camping trip with John Muir, Roosevelt ultimately created 150 national forests, five national parks, and preserved 230 million acres of land. This series premiered on the Fox Nation streaming service. (2025)
The Albany Institute of History & Art and the Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter hosted a virtual presentation and discussion led by Aaron Mair, the 57th President of the Sierra Club. The program was organized in conjunction with the art exhibition “Americans Who Tell the Truth,” which included a special portrait of John Muir. Speaking with the impeccable credentials of environmental justice chair (2009-present) of the Sierra Club, in this video Aaron sets the record straight about John Muir’s views of race – which were not the racist views his detractors allege. Like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Muir believed in the fundamental equality of all human beings regardless of race, creed, or gender – he did not accept ethnic or cultural differences as grounds to differentiate people.
Beauty & Bread – The Life and Spirituality of John Muir
This audio episode of a podcast series on wilderness spirituality traces Muir’s spiritual awakening and his unique contribution to what author Stephen Hatch calls “Wilderness Christian Mysticism.” Drawing from his journals and personal reflections, Stephen and his co-presenter Will Warrick discuss how beauty, joy, and awe can be sources of divine knowledge and renewal. In this conversation, they explore why Muir still matters—how his exuberance, reverence for nature, and visionary conservation ethic continue to speak powerfully today.
More than just a mountaineer, naturalist, or preservationist, Muir was a mystic of mountains and alpenglow. His writings reveal a person whose faith was shaped not by dogma, but by the ecstatic beauty of the natural world.
They explain that for Muir, the sacred was never distant—it shimmered in granite, waterfalls, and wind. His way of seeing reminds us that the divine is not confined to temples or texts, but revealed in the living world all around us. Carried by the Spirit, his words echo today.
As Muir once famously said: “Everyone needs beauty as well as bread, places where people can play in and pray in, where nature may give strength to body and soul alike.” No matter how difficult life may seem at times, we still need beauty and bread. For such nourishment keeps us rooted in what is true, good, and enduring. This is just one of the many lasting insights left behind by Muir.
[July 11, 2025]
John Muir’s Story – A Film by Tara Roberts Zabriskie and Tom Banks
“John Muir’s Story” shares the importance of caring for nature and protecting planet Earth for present and future generations.
John Muir was one of America’s most important Conservationists, he sought to preserve American forests, parks, and wilderness areas through his writings. This story uses John Muir’s own words to inspire and empower citizens to care about nature, protect ecosystems and give each other shared wilderness access for generations to come.
An inspiring look into the life of America’s first conservationist, learn more about the film at the official film website for John Muir’s Story. You can also view the trailer for the film on YouTube.
This film is a collaboration with Tom Banks, a National Park Ranger, a John Muir Actor, and a conservationist. He co-produced the video series “Don’t Be that Guy – Leave no Trace on the Appalachian Trail”.
The Filmaker, Tara Roberts Zabriskie, is passionate about sharing stories through documentary filmmaking that serve a purpose in informing and inspiring audiences. She is an international award-winning editor and an independent documentary filmmaker. Her2024 film The Buzz on Native Plants explores the relationship between native plants and pollinators and how they can benefit local ecosystems in our ever changing climate. It is shown on many PBS stations and at film festivals. Her film Defending the Dark (2022) screened at more than a dozen film festivals and has been shown on PBS. The film highlights how Dark Skies benefit wildlife and their habitats, reduces health and safety risks to humans, saves energy, and reduces costs.
Learn more about her productions at Moosey Productions Films.
Expected release date: 2026