Pushing through the low, ivy-covered gate labeled with an unobtrusive “private property” sign hanging above, I found myself surrounded by tall, slim redwoods and the bubbling sound of Codornices Creek’s hidden waterfall.

Across from the Berkeley Rose Garden, Codornices Park weaves back into a grove of redwoods along Codornices Creek. Complete with bridges over the water, barbecues, tables and a swing set, it is the perfect spot for a picnic. Paths meander up hillsides, each new path opening up a new dimension of the space: a meadow, a steep climb, a new favorite moss-covered tree to climb. I’d been visiting the spot for nearly a year before I learned of the waterfall that lies just behind the park.

In the springtime, the waterfall is full, cold and loud. Once, I ran there in the pouring rain of December, getting soaked through to the skin, to hear it thundering down the hill. Yet, throughout the year the waterfall remains, dropping several stories to the creek below. A pool forms within it so that one can dip their hot, dusty feet in the summertime. Warm sunlight filters through the abundant trees which arch gracefully over the stream itself in their search for light.

This weekend my friend Rebecca, my girlfriend Charlie and I hiked to the waterfall loaded with paints and brushes to paint beside the falls. Following Tamalpais Path, which continues from Eunice Street through the park, we followed the creek across a low bridge and up a steep flight of stairs until we reached the gate on the left, which leads to the trail. We veered left along the dirt path, weaving through the redwoods and following the sound of the stream.

Not a word was spoken once we set up, and for the hour and a half during which we painted, only a handful of kids from the park made the journey. Our breathing, the hum of dragonflies and the falling water filled our ears with sound. Charlie fell asleep across my knees in the midst of painting while Rebecca and I grew absorbed in our work.

I doodled the waterfall in crayon.

The silence finally broke when bright blue dragonflies landed on my sleeping partner’s clothes. Another, on my friend’s wide-brimmed, pink straw hat. We laughed, putting the paintings aside, and shared a some snacks: banana bread and some pastries from our morning coffee at Brewed Awakening.

Waterfalls are hidden treasures of the Bay Area, surprisingly close and surprisingly accessible with a bit of persistence and knowledge. Tucked away, big and small, each are unique and precious. As I find one waterfall, the urge to discover more, further along the creek, only grows.

If Codornices’ waterfall offers only a puddle to wash one’s feet, then it is only a matter of time before one requires a full-on shower of a waterfall: Alamere Falls.

Beneath the pounding weight of the water falling off the seaside cliff above, I could think of nothing but the sensation of the water hitting my body, powerful and overwhelming. Surrounding me on the rocks, rainbows glinted in every direction as the water’s spray enveloped me.

On a perfect summer day, my best friend and I set out on my favorite hike to Alamere Falls, located in Point Reyes. About an hour’s drive from Berkeley, this waterfall is well worth the drive and the long walk in. Cascading over 30 feet down a sheer cliff, the water crashes onto a sandy beach below.

To access Alamere Falls, begin at the Palomarin Trailhead and take the Alamere Falls Trail down to the waterfall itself. Be aware that to access the beach, it is a slippery scramble down loose sandstone. For a safer, albeit longer, route down to the waterfall, hike to Wildcat Beach campground and walk up the beach to the falls from there.

Along the hike, horsetail ferns, blooming waterlilies and butterflies take up residence, making the trail beautiful. Come July, blackberries provide snacks for the hungry waterfall seeker. Bass Lake, along the way, provides an excellent midway swimming hole, complete with a rope swing and the occasional nude swimmer.

Back in Berkeley, Charlie, Rebecca and I slipped off our clothes to wash off paint, swimming in the shallows. Waterfalls, pristine and hidden, provide a rare kind of privacy — just watch out for the swimmers.

For the Berkeley waterfall, enter Codornices at Euclid and Eunice and follow the Tamalpais trail until you reach the gate. More information about Alamere Falls can be found at https://www.nps.gov/pore/planyourvisit/alamere_falls.htm.

Isabel writes the Thursday column on discovering Berkeley and the greater Bay Area. Contact her at [email protected].