Built on Sand Dunes

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Believe it or not, this lush paradise was once just sand dunes. Long before the towering trees and gardens, Golden Gate Park was nothing more than about one thousand and thirteen acres of windswept sand in an area known as the Outside Lands. Back in 1870, it was considered barren land, and the first superintendent, William Hammond Hall, led the charge to transform it.

To stabilize the windblown sand, workers planted more than one hundred and fifty-five thousand trees. It's actually the first major park created on reclaimed land. You might hear legends about spilled barley or horse manure helping the grass grow, but the real story is a much more ambitious project of planting and planning.

Now, as you stroll through the greenery, just remember that every inch of this landscape was fought for, carved out of the a desert of sand.

Updated June 2026