The cache is at the upper end of the trail through the Woodbridge Metcalf Grove, my favorite place in Strawberry Canyon. This grove is a thick patch of beautiful Redwoods overlooked by many trail users. This area seems to drive the pups wild, too! The recommended access point is Centennial Blvd where parking rarely fills up, especially if you are creative. If you are travelling from campus area, pass the athletic facilities and look for the large, multi-leveled turnout on the right. If you reach the Botanic Gardens, you have gone too far. The trail through the grove is much steeper and more slippery than the main fire road. The trail is small, steep and covered in pine needles. Approaching from the bottom is recommended: About a third of a mile from the beginning of the fire trail you will come upon a patch of redwoods on the left where the fire trail takes a sharp right uphill turn. A small, barely noticeable sign marks this as the Woodbridge Metcalf Grove. Take the small trail on the right of the sign to enter the woods, then continue uphill to the top of the grove, where the trail levels off and leads you out of the redwoods to the right. If you need a less technical hike, you can follow the main fire trail about 1/10th of a mile past the steep "connector" (a bit over a mile in total). The cache is at the top of the trail through the grove, so it can easily be accessed from here.
An even easier option is to park on Panoramic Way.
Congratulations SnoWake on his early morning FTFs!!!