Entry No. 31 — the Santa Cruz file — filed under: haunted
The River Run at Brookdale Lodge
This 100-plus-year-old redwood-forest lodge is famous for its shuttered Brook Room, where a real creek runs directly through the old dining hall — vintage 1950s carpet, uninhabited since the '90s, and reportedly haunted by Sarah Logan, a girl said to have drowned in the creek. Owner Pravin Patel, who bought the lodge in 2013, works to restore the room while the lodge operates as a hotel with a creekside bar.
The story
Building a lodge in the San Lorenzo Valley redwoods over a century ago wasn't weird enough for Brookdale; they had to redirect a natural creek straight through the center of the main dining room. For decades, guests ate dinner at white-clothed tables with clear mountain water rushing over river rocks just inches from vintage 1950s carpeting. But the gimmick carried a dark side: local history claims a young girl named Sarah Logan drowned in that indoor stream, turning the Brook Room from an architectural stunt into one of the Santa Cruz Mountains' most persistent hauntings.
By the 1990s, the room fell quiet, locked away and abandoned to water rot and rumors of cold spots. When owner Pravin Patel bought the lodge in 2013, he took on a monumental preservation project—bringing the historic hotel back online while slowly working to rehabilitate the legendary shuttered dining hall. Today, the water still flows through the unlit, vintage room, completely untouched by modern redesign, looking less like a restaurant and more like a flooded mid-century time capsule.
While the grand dining hall remains off-limits, the rest of the grounds are very much alive. The River Run operates as the lodge's modern pulse, serving drinks and local dishes beside the outdoor creek. It gives you the rare surreal combo of drinking craft beer to a live local band on a sunny afternoon while standing just paces away from a dark, haunted room where a river runs through the floorboards.
What it's like
Pull off Highway 9 into the damp shadow of the redwoods, grab a drink at the River Run cocktail lounge, and head out to the creekside patio or beer garden during a weekend afternoon show. The crowd is a casual mix of mountain locals and curious road-trippers. Once you've got a drink in hand, slip around the perimeter of the main lodge building to press your nose against the glass of the shuttered Brook Room. You'll see the dim silhouette of retro carpeting and dark rocks where the stream cuts straight through the empty dining hall.
The move: Catch a Sunday afternoon set in the River Run's creekside beer garden, then wander over to peer through the windows of the abandoned, creek-fed Brook Room before it reopens.
- 📍 Brookdale (San Lorenzo Valley)
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 11570 Highway 9, Brookdale, CA 95007
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Air and Fire, A Mystical Bazaar — Drive less than two miles up Highway 9 to browse occult books, skulls, and altar supplies to lean into the lodge's ghost-story vibe.
- Old Lime Kiln Ruins — Head four miles south down the highway to hike into Fall Creek and explore mossy 19th-century stone ruins hidden deep in the forest.
- Mountain Spirit — Stop into this long-running Felton shop just down the road to dig through bins of raw minerals and stones after your creekside drink.
Good to know
Can you eat inside the famous room with the creek running through it?
Not yet. The indoor Brook Room has been shuttered since the 1990s while restoration efforts continue. Current dining and drinks take place at the River Run lounge, Brookdale Diner, and the outdoor creekside beer garden.
Who is Sarah Logan?
According to local paranormal lore, Sarah Logan is the spirit of a young girl who tragically drowned in the indoor stream. Visitors and investigators have reported strange sightings and sudden temperature drops inside the lodge for decades.
Is there live entertainment at the River Run?
Yes. The venue hosts live local bands regularly, featuring a Sunday afternoon concert series in the outdoor beer garden as well as seasonal parties like the annual Halloween Freaker's Ball.
Where exactly is the lodge located?
It sits at 11570 Highway 9 in Brookdale, nestled in the San Lorenzo Valley redwoods between Felton and Boulder Creek.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: lookout.co · Official site · slvpost.com
last checked: 2026-07-20