Overview
Access is by guided tours only. Advanced registration required. Call 1-888-327-2757, option 2 to make a reservation or visit EBParks.org/Register for the current schedule of trips.
Located off the Richmond Inner Harbor
Reservations Department 1-888-327-2757, option 2
For non-tour questions, call 510-544-3108 or Toll Free: 888-EBPARKS (1-888-327-2757), option 3, extension 4510
Internet & Cellular Access
Check AT&T, T-Mobile & Verizon Coverage.
Select 'Map Layers' and switch on 'No Data Coverage Areas'
Located just off the Richmond Inner Harbor, and accessed by guided tours only, this 373-acre island preserve in San Francisco Bay has a colorful history and provides wonderful views of the Bay Area from its 160' rocky peak.
Park Accessibility
Access is by guided tours only. Advanced registration is required. The island is not accessible to wheelchair users at this time.
Attractions
Regional Preserve Tours
Access to Brooks Island Regional Preserve, is by guided tours only. Advanced registration is required at EBParks.org/Register. There are normally 6-10 tours to the island annually, based on weather conditions and tides. The Park District offers two kinds of naturalist-led boating tours: Outdoor Recreation tandem kayaking trips along Brooks Island shoreline and outfitter-led trips with a Dolphin Charters boat tour which provides a relaxed, narrated boat ride to Brooks Island. Both trips include a Naturalist-guided two-mile hike around the island, which is normally closed to visitors. Telephone 1-888-EBPARKS (1-888-327-2757) or visit EBParks.org/Register for program registration or more information. Facilities on the island are minimal.
The environmentally sensitive island is a marvelous bird sanctuary. Over 18 species of birds nest there, including Caspian Terns, Black-crowned Night Herons, gulls, and ducks. The island also supports an unusual variety of plant communities, including native Coastal Grassland that persists in a relatively undisturbed state. There is also a salt marsh and many acres of Northern Coastal Scrub. In spring, the wildflowers put on a colorful show. To support the protection of these sensitive resources, the Park District has hired a caretaker who lives in the onsite security residence.
History
The island's original inhabitants were Ohlone Indians who lived there for thousands of years. Later, in the early 19th century, it became part of Rancho San Pablo. With the advent of European settlers, the island was used for sheep and cattle grazing, oyster-raising, and extensive quarrying. Over the years, Brooks Island has had many owners and has been known by a variety of names, including Isla de Carmen, Rocky Island, Bird Island, and Sheep Island. The East Bay Regional Park District acquired the island in 1968.