This quotation is widely popping up around the internet and even in some "trail quote" books, and is attributed to John Muir. Nonetheless, the purported quote does not show upin any of Muir's published writings, nor in the John Muir Papers at the University of the Pacific. As read, it sounds more like a description "about" Muir's views of solitude, not an actual quote, likely from one of the numerous Muir biographies or commentaries. You may want to review this page about "John Muir Misquotes" http://vault.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/writings/misquotes.aspx

"To sit in solitude, to think in solitude with only the music of the stream and the cedar to break the flow of silence, there lies the value of wilderness."

— John Muir

What It Means

This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets ""To sit in solitude, to think in solitude with only the music of the stream and the cedar to break the flow of silence, there lies the value of wilderness."" in the context of "This quotation is widely popping up around the internet and even in some "trail quote" books, and is attributed to John Muir. Nonetheless, the purported quote does not show upin any of Muir's published writings, nor in the John Muir Papers at the University of the Pacific. As read, it sounds more like a description "about" Muir's views of solitude, not an actual quote, likely from one of the numerous Muir biographies or commentaries. You may want to review this page about "John Muir Misquotes" http://vault.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/writings/misquotes.aspx" to mean that wisdom is timeless.

Source: Wikiquote: "John Muir" (Misattributed) The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
John Muir

About John Muir

John Muir (21 April 1838 – 24 December 1914) was a Scottish-American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada of California, have been read by millions. His activism helped to preserve the Yosemite Valley, Sequoia National Park and other wilderness areas. The Sierra Club, which he founded, is a prominent American conservation organization.