California is the king of labyrinths featuring almost 500 around the state. SO many that I had to break my initial list of 35 public labyrinths to visit into 2 parts:
18 Labyrinths to Visit in Northern California
17 Labyrinths to Visit in Southern/Central California
If you want a full list of labyrinths in the state check out the Worldwide Labyrinth Finder.
Why visit a Labyrinth ?
Labyrinths are ancient and mysterious symbols that have been used for centuries for meditation, contemplation, and spiritual renewal. They are also a lot of fun to explore! If you're looking for a unique and challenging experience, walk a labyrinth with intention - it often leads to self-discovery. Personally, I like to walk labyrinths between dawn and sunrise or at sunset until dusk, but any time of day works. You may not realize it, but there is probably a labyrinth near where you live. Today we explore…
18 Labyrinths to Visit in northern California
1/2. Grace Cathedral Labyrinths
Any list of labyrinths in California needs to start here, at the home of the modern labyrinth walking movement and Lauren Artress. Facing the front of the church the outdoor Chartres replica labyrinth is on the right. There is also a permanent indoor Chartres labyrinth made from limestone in the church. Read about the labyrinths and plan your trip (including finding events and hours) on the church website !
Location: San Francisco, California
Address:
1100 California Street
San Francisco, California 94108
3. Albany Bulb Labyrinth
The Albany Bulb is the site of a former landfill that now consists of a series of trails on the SF bay. The landfill was mostly construction debris, so the classical labyrinth built there is made from that. The Bulb also features a variety of artwork an sculptures along the pathways. This pin will help you find the labyrinth.
Location: Albany, California
Address:
Buchanan Street
Albany, California 94710
4. Hap Magee Ranch Park Labyrinth
An 11 circuit Chartres style labyrinth made from bricks/pavers is open during daylight hours. The labyrinth is clearly marked on Google Maps for easy locating. For information on the park check out the city website.
Location: Danville, California
Address:
1027 La Gonda Way
Danville, California 94526
5. Quarry Park Labyrinth
This labyrinth was originally a 7 circuit but has evolved over time to be contemporary with new and interesting twists and turns. To reach the labyrinth park at the end of Santa Maria Ave and follow the trail at the end down into the quarry for 5 minutes. Here’s a pin to locate the labyrinth. Plan a trip to the park on the county website.
Location: El Granada, California
Address:
1195 Columbus St.
El Granada, California 94018
6. Stephenson Park Labyrinth
An 8 circuit Chartres style labyrinth made from bricks/pavers. The labyrinth is located in the NE corner of the park near the cul-de-sac of Bolo Ct. Check out the park website to plan a trip. Here is a great view of the labyrinth.
Location: Elk Grove, California
Address:
5511 Dorcey Drive
Elk Grove, California 95757
7. Shell Beach Labyrinth
A 7 circuit labyrinth located off the Kortum Trail near Shell Beach. The labyrinth is made with grass rocks and shells and can be located with it’s entry on Google Maps ! The labyrinth overlooks the Pacific Ocean.
Location: Jenner, California
Address:
Shell Beach
Jenner, California 95450
8. Briones Regional Park - Martinez Labyrinth
To find this medieval labyrinth go to the Alhambra Creek Staging Area and take the Alhambra Creek Trail for 1/4 mile until you see the horse trough which you take a left at. Look for the large branch circle that surrounds the labyrinth. And, thank you to the person who added it to Google Maps !
Location: Martinez, California
Address:
Reliez Valley Road
Martinez, California 94553
9. Monaco Family Public Labyrinth
An 11 circuit medieval labyrinth made from bricks/pavers located in front of Titan Sports Academy. Has an entry on Google Maps.
Location: Morgan Hill, California
Address:
195 Mast St.
Morgan Hill, California 95037
10. Mountain Stream Meditation Labyrinth
A 9 circuit medieval style labyrinth is located behind the building and is made from bricks and rocks. The center features an Archimedean spiral, which I learned on the MSM webpage dedicated to the labyrinth.
Location: Nevada City, California
Address:
710 Zion Street
Nevada City, California 95959
11. Wilma Chan Park Labyrinth
Originally an 11 circuit labyrinth made from painted concrete, 5 extra circuits were painted on the outside to increase the size. Here is a 360 view from the center of the labyrinth.
Location: Oakland, California
Address:
8th & Madison
Oakland, California 94607
12. Antioch Kaiser Hospital Labyrinth
A 5 circuit labyrinth made from painted concrete. Located off the parking lot in the NE section of the hospital off of Wellness Way. This pin will help you find it on the map.
Location: Antioch, California
Address:
5601 Deer Valley Rd
Antioch, California 94531
13. Chico Community Labyrinth
This 8 circuit Chartres style labyrinth made from bricks/pavers is located in the Children’s Park on Esplanade. You can see a 360 view of the labyrinth in this photo. The labyrinth is surrounded by 5 circular seats with engraved bricks featuring quotes on the outside of the labyrinth.
Location: Chico, California
Address:
206 W. 1st Street
Chico, California 95926
14. Land's End Labyrinth
An 11 circuit labyrinth made from stones on the Pacific Ocean. Here is one of many 360 views you can find on Google Maps while locating the labyrinth. Reach the labyrinth from the El Camino del Mar Parking Lot, by walking the coastal trail for about 20 minutes.
Location: San Francisco, California
Address:
Golden Gate National Recreation Area
San Francisco, California 94121
15. Grateful Gardens Labyrinth
A 7 circuit concentric labyrinth made from rocks that is open from 7AM til dusk. The gardens have their own website that features a labyrinth webpage for more information.
Location: San Jose, California
Address:
990 Meridian Ave.
San Jose, California 95126
16. Rosicrucian Park Labyrinth
A 5 circuit medieval labyrinth located on the grounds of the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum. Plan a trip of to the museum on the museum website and learn about the labyrinth on the park’s labyrinth webpage. Here is a 360 view from the center.
Location: San Jose, California
Address:
1660 Park Avenue
San Jose, California 95191
17. Charles M. Schulz Museum - Snoopy Labyrinth
A meandering labyrinth in the shape of Snoopy’s head ! The museum features the works of Charles M. Schulz which of course features The Peanuts. Here is a 360 view of the labyrinth from the center.
Location: Santa Rosa, California
Address:
2301 Hardies Lane
Santa Rosa, California 95403
18. Stanford University Labyrinth
Located just off of Santa Teresa Street near Roble Drive, this 11 circuit Chartres style labyrinth is made from granite and is accessible from the sidewalk.
Location: Stanford, California
Address:
374 Santa Teresa Street
Stanford, California 94305
5 TIPS FOR VISITING A LABYRINTH
Set an intention for your walk so you can walk with purpose. It could be prayer, reflection, meditation, contemplation, or openness.
Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, as you will be doing a lot of walking.
Bring water with you, especially if you are visiting on a hot day.
Take your time and enjoy the experience. There is no need to rush through a labyrinth.
Be respectful of other visitors. This includes not making noise and being respectful if walking with other people.
5 BOOKS TO READ ABOUT LABYRINTH WALKING
I wrote a blog post reviewing the following 5 books, each that deals with walking labyrinths. You can check them out yourself at the Amazon links below or read this blog post: 5 Books about the Spiritual Aspect of Labyrinths to learn a little about what each book teaches.
Walking a Sacred Path: Rediscovering the Labyrinth as a Spiritual Tool by Dr. Lauren Artress 201 pages. AMZN
Labyrinth : Your Path to Self-Discovery by Tony Christie 312 pages. AMZN
Exploring the Labyrinth: A Guide For Healing and Spiritual Growth by Melissa Gayle West 209 pages AMZN
Walking the Labyrinth: A Place to Pray and Seek God by Travis Scholl 240 pages AMZN
Labyrinths from the Outside In: Walking to Spiritual Insight by Rev Dr Donna Schaper and Rev Dr Carole Ann Camp 187 pages AMZN
If you are interested in more spiritual labyrinth aspects I suggest the following websites:
Lauren Artress website - For coaching, workshops and classes.
Veriditas - The nonprofit labyrinth group founded by Lauren Artress
Worldwide Labyrinth Finder - Find a labyrinth to walk near you, or while on vacation
I am a maze artist and I have made some California maze art. If you have any suggestions - drop me a note. 2 already on my future maze list are the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Broad Museum.
Here are some mazes of famous buildings from around the world:
Templo de Sangre de Cristo Maze
Photo credit for blog post title image: Thomas, Flickr, Grace Cathedral Labyrinth