Anywhere with a roller rink, Dutch windmills and a bison paddock has to be considered epic by default.
And just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, Golden Gate Park hits you with an endless network of trials that flow from the Haight to the crest of Pacific Ocean.
Reaching into the heart of San Francisco, Golden Gate Park is 1,000 acres of natural beauty and shreddible terrain, reminding urbanites of all that is good and pure in this world. You want to make sure your board is fully juiced before gearing up for a park adventure. A free flowing session could land you just about anywhere. Here's one of our favorite routes...
Let's start at the chute, a spot that belong in the pantheon of Onewheeling locations. We found this spot while scouting for The World is Your Playgound (0:50) video shot in early 2014. At the time we weren’t sure if the boards could handle it.
Carved out by mountain bikers, the chute is a narrow channel that dives into a natural bowl. The best advice - don’t break. The only way down is to send it and stay on the board. If a mellow cruise is more your speed, the chute sits right above a network of easy going trails that are perfect for cruising.
The chute used to run right down the center of the bowl but was filled in with logs before Outside Lands 2016. Not to worry, a new chute has emerged just to the right.
Distance: 0.4 miles
Walk: 9 minutes
Onewheel: 2:19 minutes
Cut over from Speedway meadow towards MLK and you just might stumble upon the effervescent pools of the fly casting pond. You won’t find any brown trout there but a moment of zen and a feeling of cultural enrichment come standard. It's one of the most serene spots in the park and worth checking out even if you're never casted a fly before.
Distance: 1.0 mile
Walking: 22 minutes
Onewheel: 5:49 minutes
Tiered of pretending to catch fish? Ride about a mile to 3 Fish studios where you can space out on some beautiful California prints and paintings. When we pulled up, they we’re giving a young group a tutorial on screen printing. Pretty cool!
Note: Do not hit the golf course on the way there (except if no ones looking).
Distance: 0.6 miles
Walking: 14 minutes
Onewheel: 4:12 minutes
Ready for a recharge? Cruise half a mile down the road to Andytown Coffee Roasters, the mad scientists behind the Snowy Plover. Combining simple syrup, soda water, a shot of espresso and a decadent home made whipped cream, the Plover is one of those ‘so crazy it just might work’ masterpieces.
All together it’s an unbelievably awesome ride. So clear your Sunday and charge your board folks, you’ve got a park to explore.
