Battery Wallace

Visitors under the Battery Wallace concrete parapet.

Chad Beale

Quick Facts

Amenities

3 listed

Parking - Auto, Picnic Table, Restroom

When construction on Battery Wallace began in 1917, making the battery resistant to airstrikes was not considered in the design. The battery's primary weaponry, two 12-inch diameter guns, had no overhead protection against bombers. Despite this flaw, Battery Wallace became instrumental as a defense post during WWII. To give the battery some protection against potential Japanese bomber attacks, the 12-inch guns were buried under thick covers of earth and concrete.

The vantage point from the battery is now a beautiful spot for a picnic beneath shaded trees overlooking the Golden Gate. More secluded than many destinations in the Headlands, Battery Wallace has plenty of space to relax, and on clear days, spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco.