On January 1st, 2004, The SF Chronicle posted a list of 20 secret waterfalls in the Bay Area. We were surprised to see that one of the longest waterfalls is in our backyard in San Pedro Park. After a beautiful hike to Brooks Falls, we were a bit surprised at the size of the falls when we got there. It immediately brought to mind the popular TLC song that the cache is named after.
The 0.8 mile Brooks Trail is by far one of the prettiest trails we've experienced in the bay area. It gently carries you up the green mountain with scenic views of the valley, ocean, and Pacifica neigborhoods. If you like this hike, you might also like 'Eaton's Eden' and 'Taylor-Made' which are a bit south.
The waterfall itself is across the valley from the cache site where the two mountain peaks come together to form a 'v'. The waterfall is most impressive after a rainfall in the winter and is non-existent during the dry seasons or drought years. Bring binoculars for the best viewing. Sometimes you can hear the waterfall but not see it right away through the sun-filled mist.
Stay on the trail or risk attack from the poison oak bushes in the area that have been known to jump out and attack people. You will never need to step through any bushes.
San Pedro Park closes its parking gates at 5 PM but the park itself closes around sunset for most times of the year. There is a $5 honorary parking fee, but you can park just outside the park on the street for free and take a short walk to the park.
** Please cover the cache up with twigs, rocks, or anything else you can find in the area. It is a hard place to hide a cache, but it can be kept out of sight with proper camoflauge. Thanks! ***
BONUS MATERIAL:
At the cache site you'll see a bush/tree that appears to have been painted brown (and is now fallen on its side). In fact, I had a hard time convincing Carrie that the bush WASN'T painted. You'll see why when you look at it. This is the endangered Montara Manzanita and is only found in this area.
Visit the nature center (open weekends/holidays from 10-4) and read about the history of the area and how a flood in 1962 drastically changed how the valley was used.