Walk the Line

Walking Andy Goldsworthy's Wood Line Installation in San Francisco's Presidio

09.14.2017

So you’ve walked popular Lover’s Lane in the Presidio, but have you ever noticed the pathway hidden next to it? Tucked quietly between Lover’s Lane and Presidio Boulevard, Andy Goldsworthy’s 1,200-foot-long Wood Line is an installation of eucalyptus tree stumps seamlessly curving through the forest, flanked by standing eucalyptus.

Walking along top of it is practically mandatory for all ages. This sinuous path beckons whimsy, and is as mystical on foggy days as it is when sunshine beams through the forest canopy. Wood Line was created from eucalyptus debris removals made during park maintenance and will eventually decompose back into earth.

To walk the line, enter the Presidio at the corner of Pacific Avenue and Presidio Boulevard. Be sure to pause before you start, taking in the full view of the line slinking along the forest and disappearing in the distance. And we’re walking….

BONUS HIKE: The Wood Line is one of Andy Goldsworthy’s four Presidio pieces (Spire, Tree Fall, and Earth Wall are the others). Explore all of them on a three-mile hiking loop. Use the map from the “Goldsworthy in the Presidio” brochure.

Dog-friendly!

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