Burnt once, destroyed twice, and rebuilt on the edge of the continent, the labyrinth at Land 's End may be the most beautiful secret of the Land 's End.
San Francisco artist Eduardo Aguilera was first inspired by learning about other historic labyrinths, and then moved to create his own after spending time on the rocky shores of Land 's End, lighting candles and creating a small shrine, in the artist's own words, "peace, love and enlightenment."
The creation of Aguilera is simply made of a stone contour, following the classic seven-circuit labyrinth of Chartres. At first, he hoped to keep it anonymous, but his work was soon discovered by other hikers and explorers.
The labyrinth was destroyed on two occasions by unknown persons, but it was rebuilt every time by Aguilera. In 2004 the artist lit the labyrinth with candles for the Winter Solstice, and in 2005 the labyrinth was lit by the Vernal Equinox. One of the last incidents occurred in 2015, when the Labyrinth was destroyed again. A month later, however, the design was restored by the author and a team of volunteers.
On a dramatic outcrop with sweeping views of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Marin Headlands and the sea, the location of the labyrinth is naturally both peaceful and majestic. The labyrinth is not officially endorsed by the Land 's End National Park, and the trails leading to the promontory are unmaintained. Visitors should be warned: the cliffside location can be windy and slippery. At least two other labyrinths were built by Aguilera in the Marin Headlands and the San Bruno Mountains.
Land 's End is part of the Golden Gate Recreation Area on the northwest side of the city. Technically, it's not a National Park (but it closed down during the government shutdown) and it's free to visit. This area of the city can get very foggy, especially in the summer. It can get windy, too. The path to the Lands End labyrinth is sheltered from the winds of the coast, but the Labyrinth itself can be so windy.
The Right Hiking Trail
Take the hiking trail to the right of the parking lot in the trees. Keep on this main path (don't take the one off to the left that goes down the stairs to the ocean.) This trail eventually connects to another larger road and you'll turn left to follow it.
At some points, the Land 's End Trail turns into the Coastal Trail by name, if you look at the map below. There will be a few points of view along the way that you can stop for a photo if you want, although the view below will be better.
This amazing landmark is located in San Francisco, California and is only a short distance away from:
- Camera Obscura
- The Vulcan Stairway
- Tank Hill
- Yerba Buena Gardens Sculptures
- Seward Street Slides
- Urbano SundialÂ
- Shakespeare Garden at Golden Gate Park
- Balmy Alley
All of these wonderful attractions are located just a short distance from our location, conveniently located just down the freeway at 1261 Locust St, Walnut Creek! Stop by for a visit anytime!
