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Mount Diablo State Park
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76 reviews for Mount Diablo State Park
Overall a good experience camping here.
-MINUS 1 star for the rude attendant that admitted us at the gate when we arrived, for only being able to check-in for camping at the South entrance (made us have to drive an additional 10-15 mins), and for the fact that they don't sell firewood on-site.
But, 4 stars overall for being beautiful, uniquely on a mountain (the view is beautiful!), having "nice" bathrooms w/ lots of TP, plenty of campsite spaces, and for no ranger hassling in the morning (some campgrounds have a ranger who come first thing in the morning expecting payment or wanting to ask you questions, etc.).
Conclusion: We will return to the Devil's Mountain!
Yay!
We are fans.
Mount Diablo is one of the wonders of California...
to my family, anyway.
One day while just driving around lovely CA, we stumbled
upon this state park.
Yup- we just get in our car
and drive
and drive
and drive...
we've found some of our most favorite places by doing that.
Wow-
what an amazing "find" we found at Mount Diablo.
The drive to the mountain top was along, winding road.
The winding road was happily and surprisingly quiet the
day we visited. We made a couple stops along the winding
path. At one point, I spotted a cute medium-sized creature...
ohhhhhh!
I asked the handsome man to stop the car.
He did.
I opened my door to get out and the h-man asked me what
I was doing.
Duhhhhhhh...getting out to pet the cute creature.
Handsome man said
Oh
No
You
Are
Not.
...that's a coyote.
He convinced me that petting the cute coyote probably
wasn't a real swell idea.
Fine.
Whatever.
At the top of the mountain, there is a building...pretty cool.
There is an open section of flooring which is exposed mountain
top. People can stand on that hunk of mountain.
How cool is that?!
The views are spectacular...absolutely amazing!
If possible, try to go on a clear day.
Explore lovely CA...visit Mount Diablo for a nice drive, hiking,
biking or camping.
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Just back from an inspiring and exhausting camping weekend with my little guys here at Mount Diablo.
Live Oak Campground: One of the closer ones to South Gate. Easily accessible. Most sites well shaded by oaks. No fire pits -- just grills... so handy for cooking and safe for little kids, but not exactly conducive to marshmallows and ghost stories. Running warm water, though showers seem to be locked for this summer. Fairly sheltered and back from the ridge, so no views but also less wind.
Site 21 (Live Oak Campground): Nice big site with ample flat space for two tents (possibly the only one in this campground). Well shaded by old oaks; handy if the heat is high. Next to the bathrooms, though probably 50 feet up the hill, so not as close as it looks on the map (and thus more convenient than a nuisance to be close).
Summit Museum and Trail: We did a 15 minute swing through the museum, which was fun because my five year old was fascinated by the animal exhibit. We also did the roughly 1 mile loop trail around the summit. The trail was very tight and had quite a bit of poison oak on the sides... but it was also quite walkable for our crew including a 3 year old, and offered some terrific views down the mountain.
I'd recommend the whole lineup and would happily do it again.
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Interested in cycling up? Make sure you have some grub.
I had fun riding up the trail. The views from the top were amazing. If you're planning on doing the same make sure you bring some type of food, plenty of water, sunglasses and sunscreen.
Cya on the road!
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Mt. Diablo is great.
But I'm writing to warn y'all about this couple that's going around breaking into cars even when there is nothing in the car itself. It's a dark skinned man and white woman and they drive a faded black BMW. Today she did the smash and grab while he played get away driver.
These two broke into my car just to search the glove compartment and trunk.
Anyway, just a heads up I contacted the park, but with state funding the way it is I'm not sure patrols will increase. Oh, and if anyone has info or perhaps got the license plate of a car matching this description please let me know. It's a long shot, but worth it just in case they decide to return.
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My son and I both felt a little out of sync yesterday on this first day of daylight savings time. Around Noon, he uttered those well-known teenage words ' "I'm Bored!", and in this case his Dad felt that way too. Road Trip! So we headed out for Rock City, via the southern entrance to Mt. Diablo State Park.
It's a bit of a drive to get out here from the Berkeley area and some folks might ask why I would bother considering that Indian Rock is so close. It's true that the Bay view from the top of Indian Rock is unbeatable, but the valley and Mt. Diablo views are pretty fine too. I also enjoyed the drive to Danville, going past Athenian and up the mountain. Mt. Diablo State Park is certainly another Bay Area treasure that perhaps is too easy to overlook when we have so many options out here.
The real reason we went (besides visiting Gayle on the way back), was to trick my son into getting some exercise. He loves to climb and there are more rock combinations (along with the hiking to get to them) than one would ever need. It was a lot of fun for both of us and safer than you might think. And Rock City is a neat family area too, complete with some picnic tables and new friends to scale Sentinel Rock together.
We left after a few hours very happy and as my son would say, parched and famished. And Downtown Danville is just down the hill.....
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Now this is one of the funnest courses i've ever rode with my motorcycle. Beautiful view, relax bends on the roads, dips, and great straightaways. The best thing about this park is that you dont even need a motorcycle to enjoy the trip.
There's a Hiking Trail, camping area, biking paths, as well as numerous opportunity to do your own Ansel Adams, you photo demons.
Tranquil, peaceful, yet near by civilization. What more can you ask?
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Mount Diablo, and the state park that protects it, is nature unspoilt.
To re-open yourself to nature, after the Bay Area has stolen your life, come here and explore the many hiking trails. If the dot com craze or the financial markets have sucked the soul right out of your being, rediscover it here.
The vistas at the top of the mountain are overwhelming, and no visit to Mount Diablo would be complete without visiting her crown. Join the privileged few who rediscovered themselves on the mountain, and breathe free once again!
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My friend pretty much lived in the east bay her entire life and never been up to Mt. Diablo. But since I was visiting, we decided to trek it up there. Mind you, we're both not outdoorsy people. But it is a famous mountain - tallest point in the bay area, I think? With great views and on clear days you can see forever. Anyways, there are signs once you get off the freeway to find Mt. Diablo State Park. So you don't have to worry about getting lost. It's $7 for a day pass - basically to get into the park and park your car. I think it might cost more if you want to camp out there or get like a week pass. The lady at the window offered us a map so make sure you get that and it really helps out.
Anyways, we headed straight to the top of the summit. I think it maybe took us close to an hour. It's a pretty long drive with lots of twists and turns. My friend had fun driving and I enjoyed the views and cliff edges on the way up. It's a small parking lot - maybe with spots for 20 cars. It's really gorgeous up there. There's a little visitor's center with gift shop where you can read up on the history and buy a souvenir. Then there's a few more stairs to get up to the very, very top. It wasn't that clear that day but most of the fog was gone. So we could make out the tall buildings of SF. Other than that, we were sorta directionless and couldn't tell which of the tiny ant-like house and cities were which. Overall really great views though. I think there's trails and things you can hike on but I couldn't see anything that clearly marked. Then we took our time driving back and stopped at 2 or 3 other lookout points. It was basically the same view but at lower elevations but wonderful also. All in all we probably spent a few hours inside. Most of that time was driving. But I'm sure it would be great for hiking or picnic-ing or camping.
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Since I had Cesar Chavez Day off Tues 3/31/09 we went hiking at Mt Diablo SP. I meet my friends at San Lorenzo and it took 1 hr to get to the park. We went on the South gate Road to the S. Gate Entrance Station. It's $7 day use parking or $6 if you're over 62. Friend had a state park pass so it was FREE for us. Nice.
We parked at the Rock City Live Oak parking lot, separate bathrooms a bit up the road from there. We did the Trail Through Time trail - Devil's Slide Trail - Sycamore Creek Trail looking for the new waterfall (dry) - down to Private Property - back up Sycamore Creek Trail - Black Hawk Ridge-lunch-Knobcone Point Rd to Balancing Rock (cool) - back to Curry Point (1774') - bathroom - car. Took us 5hrs, maybe 8-10 miles RT.
Seen: wildflowers: Blue Dicks, Buttercups, Johnny Jump Ups, Poppies, tons of butterflies, 2 lizards, turkey vultures, 1 wild turkey (seen from the car).
Best time to go: Spring (March-May), Fall, Winter. Avoid Summer!
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/2/2006
Mt. Diablo SP always kicks my butt. I wish if I did some hikes it'll help me lose weight but no… Read more »
Christmas Day 2008 will always be remembered by my son Zack and I as the day we visited the top of Mt. Diablo. Just after a major storm blew thru the Bay Area, the air was crisp and clean, and views were spectacular.
The museum in the stone building at the summit offers fantastic history, flora and fauna information that is presented in heated comfort out of the wind. Admission is included with the $7 per day parking charge collected at the ranger station along the road on the way up to the top.
Many times we went camping at Juniper Camp near the summit as I grew up and the view of a fog blanket below looking like a fluffy fleece blanket is simply amazing.
Annual passes are available for $125, cost effective for those who visit every week or more than twice a month.
We'll be back, the museum deserves more time than we had on Christmas day to see all that is there and to fully appreciate the extensive displays.
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We decided we need to see a new state park and went on the South gate Road to the S. Gate Entrance Station. It's $7 a day for parking.
We parked at the Rock City Live Oak parking lot right by the bathrooms. We saw tons of rocks, wildflowers, buttercups, poppies, red ants, and butterflies. The temperature was 81 degrees and there were tons of folks BBQing in the campgrounds around us. The kids were going crazy climbing all over these huge rocks and you went up this steep trail. We took the Google directions and warning it's a bit windy driving up there and you have to watch out for the cyclists who seem to have no fear of dying at all via cars. They will ride in the middle of these narrow roads and not move at all for you. Some will even pass by you going downhill! I still like the visitor side entrance since its easier to access more trails there and less rock but always good to see another side of this enormous state park. The views were amazing there and you felt like you actually got away from it all for an afternoon. Also cool to check out the fancy Blackhawk homes next door on the way up.
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What can I say? People who live in the East Bay and don't hike the beautiful Mt. Diablo state park are sure missing out on nature's best.
I did a 22 mile hike yesterday starting from Castle Rock. My friend and I took the Dusty Trail to BBQ Terrace, up to Juniper Camp, to Mt. Diablo Summit, down Devil's Elbow back to BBQ Terrace to Rock City to Wall Point and back to Dusty Trail to Castle Rock. Although we stopped briefly at BBQ Terrace, Juniper Camp, and the Summit, it took only about 7 hours round trip. We started at an elevation of approximately 400 feet up to an elevation of 3849 (Mt. Diablo Summit). It always amazes me the people who choose just to drive up there. What a feeling of euphoria when you summit it by foot.
One could hike every weekend at Mt. Diablo and not do the same trails over again for several months. However, many trails on Mt. Diablo don't allow dogs and that is a shame since most dogs that I encounter on hikes are just as euphoric as the hikers.
Word to the wise though...work up to this type of mileage as the descents are much more difficult than the ascents. Trekking poles really help keep your knees from taking most of the brunt. Always bring plenty of water, a GPS, and walkie talkies if you are going with a group.
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Gargantuan is the word for this park. One could wander its sprawling bike and walking trails for days never doubling back. Or if you prefer to admire the incredible views shielded from the elements, the auto-accessible summit offers majestic views of the city and Sierra Nevadas. Got a telescope handy? Peep Half Dome in Yosemite over 100 miles away!
So incredible the spirit's bound to seize you.
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What's not to love about driving 10 miles and being in a beautiful park with excellent views! Plenty of picnic areas, great trails for all abilities and best of all...clean bathrooms w/ soap!
Just beware if you travel by car for herds of cyclists...we were even passed by one on a downhill stretch!
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What a gorgeous park! I've been here several times, and have experienced very different terrain each time.
A wide variety of trails, but the Eagle Peak loop takes you up to panoramic views of the valley and the whole Bay Area (If it's clear).
Or start at Juniper Camp and head to the very top to join herds of tourists that have driven up on the weekends. The view all the way to the ocean to the west and across the valley to the east is worth it.
Other trails have evidence of the area's former terrain, which was ocean. Yes, there a rock formations with fossils. Great fun for amateur archeaology & natural history nerds.
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Does my butt look big? It should be smaller, considering Mt. Diablo just kicked my a$$.
Mitchell Rock Trail to Eagle Peak = ~ 8 miles of treacherous, beautiful, butt-kicking fun.
Apparently, this hike takes you along ridges. I should have done my pre-hike homework. --insert cliche about hindsight-- You see, when I thought we had reached the top of our climb, I discovered we still had to climb across a ridge. I wanted to say, 'Just to be clear: the only ridges I like are on Lay's Potato Chips - and the cheddar & sour cream variety are the exact reason I am huffing and puffing like a locomotive' - But instead of sharing this (too loudly) I sucked it up and kept moving. slowly.
Fortunately, they followed the "no child left behind" law (glad someone does) and Yelpers let me lean on them for balance while I found footing on our rocky ascent and skidded during the dusty descent.
I tumbled in the dirt and grass a few times (involuntarily! - not even for the right reasons *wink*) and by the time we made it to the parking lot I was the spitting image of Pig Pen from the Peanuts cartoon.
Aside from one point when I got separated from the group for 10 minutes and thought I saw vultures circling and preparing to peck my eyes out, I had a great time.
Wait, AND when we discussed who would be eaten first in a Donner situation and I nominated myself because I have the most body fat and can't run very quickly - and nobody made eye contact with me. *pause* That was a little awkward.
I will come back here next fall when the weather is cooler.
Note to self: Bring supportive friends, sturdy shoes, plenty of water, a map, and leg muscles.
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To each their own, right?
DO NOT GO HERE IF IT'S OVER 80 DEGREES. DON'T DO IT.
I did and wasn't prepared (I had 3 water bottles) and got the meanest case of dehydration known to man.
It's close to 3,000 feet in elevation change and it's not very gradual. This hike will kick your a**.
As a competitive soccer player I thought I could handle it. I was wrong. My legs held up (which I expected) but the dehydration did me in.
As far as the actual hike it was some nice views of the east bay, but I wouldn't cal it spectacular especially since most of the view is of the suburb of Clayton. If you like the suburban sprawl, then this is the hike for you.
I wasn't too fond of the fact that you share the path with mountain bikers.
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE hiking. I really do. I just didn't like this particular trail.
It was hot, steep and not particularly scenic. AND THEY MAKE YOU PAY FOR PARKING!
If I'm going to pay fees I'm expecting the trail to be maintained somehow. On the way down the ridge was pretty treacherous and traction was definitely an issue even though it was completely dry.
Sorry to be the odd man out on my review, but I may just have to stick to the peninsula, marin and south bay for my hiking.
Se pics at: http://flickr.com/phot...
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This is one of the first hikes I've gone on since I moved to the area (August! That long). Company was great. My knees were destroyed as promised. As for the trail, it was more of a road. It was worn down enough that I felt safe in my tennis shoes. If not for the heinous ascent (both ways, you can't escape it), I'd say it would make for a great trail run.
Start early. We ran into a man starting the 8 mile loop at four o'clock, and I can only hope he made it out before the sun went down. Very little tree cover and this area quickly gets hot. Sun screen and water are a must.
Great picnic spot at the top. Very nice views, especially if you like windmill farms (which I had not seen before).
Nice hike. I wish the trails had been a bit more clearly labeled. It's used heavily enough to warrant a map at the top to keep people oriented.
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Looming over the Tri-valleys and poking it's twin peaks above the surrounding hillsides, visible on a clear day from the edges of California, Mt Diablo State Park is a "must see" destination in Northern California.
Big enough to hike all day but not so big that a search party couldn't find you in an hour, the park offer a dynamic blend of elevation and distance, covered trails and open grassy spaces.
There should be no doubt that on the crisp days of spring and fall, the views are impressive, no mind blowing. Mt. Shasta shimmering off the atmosphere, Mt. St. Helena, Mt. Tamalpaius, the snow capped Sierra-Nevada, San Francisco, Carquinez Straight, The Sacramento Delta (the Bay's fresh water system!) and The PACIFIC OCEAN for crying out loud! I could go on and doing so would be academic, the sense of majesty looking out across Northern California can be it's own spiritual experience.
On my most recent visit, I took a much anticipated hike - peak to peak as it might be known. An easy 5-mile round trip at max. The trail could mostly be reviewed from the visitor center on the main peak and exactly as it wound around the mountain, descending at least 500 or more feet into the saddle between the two peaks and then up what looks to be an overwhelmingly steep ascent up a fire/utility road to the east peak, was really just enough to get the heart warmed up but not cripple my recoving-from-3-straght-weeks of sickness hiking partner.
The views that day were washed out by haze generated by a few days of rain followed by relatively warm (evaporation causing) warm weather. Not the fault of the mountain, and not still allowing for some great views and clear air.
I look forward to hiking and viewing for years to come.
[END]
This is sacred ground for me and cycling training. Our team spends every wednesday climbing to the top, for training.
But more than just training, Mt.D is a stoic, stealth, spiritual space that we are so fortunate to be able to access so readily. It's tops for cycling, hiking, skate boarding, bird-watching, spirit seeking and sight-seeing. Not in the mix for tourists, but us locals love, love, love Mt.D.
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Mt Diablo State Park is a great open space, high in the East Bay hills, with a lot to offer.
The main visitors center is in Walnut creek. Here you can get a newsletter with a small map, or you can buy 3 different trail guides for different levels of difficulty.
Where I like to go in is at Regency road in Clayton, It is less crowded and has no building to stage from. You just park on the street and walk in., But there is a great hiking trail up to Falls Trail Loop, about 5.9 miles along a creek and of medium difficulty. There are some old ruins about half way up and a nice place to listen to small falls and snack on a rock.
Mt, Diablo has several family and group camping areas and you can reserve them up to 7 months in advance on Reserve America. NIghtly rates in season are $20. Group camp overnight rates range from $45 to $111, depending on camp size and capacity (up to 50 people and 17 vehicles)
For a short trip to Mt. Diablo State Park, enter in the south gate via Danville. The drive up will give you some great views. Take the Diablo exit off 680 in Danville and follow the signs about 8 miles up to the south gate.
It is $6 per vehicle. Not too far in, you can go to Rock City, where there are a couple of parking lots and you have several large sandstone rock formations to climb over, with a couple of isolated picnic tables in the area, and great views of the valley below.
Unfortunately, the soft sandstone is prime for idiots to carve out there initials and love notes with their car keys through the years. But you can look at them and play archaelogist to guess their age, with some dates as reference. So most of these great rocks are littered with them. But the sandstone also make it easy for hand and footholes, so climbing all over these rocks is fun and not too strenuous, as no equipment is needed.
There is the "Trail through time" that leads you by these formations. They are mostly sandstone, but you can see different colors and rocks within the formations. There are a lot of cool little wind caves carved out from the rocks, big enough to climb into.
These are not "Go climb a rock" type challenging rocks. Most people in average shape can handle at least some of them. Some are 20 - 30 feet high, but most 10 year olds or older can handle many of them (with supervision).
Bring a picnic, hike a little, climb a few rocks, and walk a few trails at a leisurely pace and enjoy the view and fresh air.
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Before yesterday, I did not know that you could actually drive to the top of Mt. Diablo. From the park's website, I learned that the road to the top is under reconstruction. And rightfully so. It is in horrible condition in many parts -- narrow, cracked and crumbling.
Once at the top, however, the views are tremendous. You can see for miles & miles. Truly breathtaking, unobstructed views.
I went in the late afternoon and the park was not very crowded at all. All along the roadway are numerous picnic areas. Most were empty. Again, it was late in the day so I am not sure if they are more crowded closer to lunch time. But, next time to go with a picnic is a much better idea. Most of the picnic areas only have one or two tables so you basically get your own private perch to lunch and soak of the sun and views.
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I'd rank Mount Diablo as the best hiking experience in the Bay Area. Mount Diablo dominates the skyline in the East San Francisco Bay Area, and well worth a day trip to the top. The view is absolutely spectacular, especially on a day when the air is clear after a heavy rain or with high on-shore winds. A spring drive there displays the brilliant green grasses that flourish from the winter rains. Bring binoculars and a jacket, as it can be quite windy and cool at the summit.
The observatory at the summit contains the actual "peak" of the mountain which you can stand on, as well as numerous displays of wildlife there. I once saw a rattlesnake in the parking lot, and the ranger simply encouraged it to move off; preservation of the local flora and fauna is very important here. The road is very curvy, and cars share it with the bikers; a careful driver needed here! You can picnic on a warm day, and overnight camping areas are available, too. When we have out-of-town visitors, this mountain is a "must-see" for them; making this the first stop helps to orient strangers. Plan to devote a minimum half-day to your visit.
Pros: Dramatic view of the area
Cons: Curvy road can be scary for some
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Another fantabulous place to hike just a short drive from the city. With amazing views... I think you can see to Oregon from here. For reals.
My only complaints and I'm probably just being picky... too hot to deal with in the summer months, extremely steep fire roads that you are lucky to not break your ass on the descent because of all of the loose gravel, and ticks galore on skinny trails. Kinda took a teeny little enjoyment away for me having to pick those little bastards off my hubby's legs.
Otherwise a fantastic hiking spot, close to home, beautiful, some shade and some sun... even a big-ass hairy tarantula looking spider to share the day with. Loved exploring the mountain and will definitely be doing some more of that!
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I went on this hike with a few friends. The hike is tough, not so much going uphill. It's terrible on your knees going down hill -- our trail was 5 miles up, 3 miles down and those three miles were steep, full of turns, on a very narrow path. The view at the top is gorgeous, but not too much area to do much of anything other than take a few pictures and each lunch up there.
Hmm, wish I reviewed this earlier; it was three months ago when I hiked this mountain and can't remember the smaller details on this hike. :)
* If San Francisco is NYC, the East Bay is Jersey.
* If SF is Strawberry Waffles with Chocolate Sprinkles & Whipped Cream, the East Side is a greasey homemade Egg & Bacon Sandwich.
* If The City is that Hot Chick you want to show off to your friends - the one with the perfect fake tan and clothes that cost more than your car - the land across the Bay Bridge is that Ghetto Bitch with the badonkadonk and those long press-on nails, who's been in more fights than you have and slangs yurple on the side. But goddamnit if East Bay don't kno how to party...
I can't help it...I am East Bay.
And so is Mt. D.
Minus 1 star for extreme heat, ticks, and rattlesnakes.
*PS ~ the Bay Area doesn't work without the East Bay. You need the soul of Oakland, and the ghetto of Richmond, the funky melting pot of Berkeley, the red-neckyness of places like Concord and Martinez, even the 'burbs of Lamorinda, to put The City in context - make S.F. look good and keep her grounded.
Without the East side holding it down and keepsin' it real, S.F. takes itself too seriously and spins irrevocably off into hipster-gay-yuppie-fauxliberal nonsenseville and becomes a complete joke.
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I went on a 7-mile hike on Mt. Diablo today - part of the hike included the Juniper Trail to the summit, which has a small but informative visitor's center. I was worried that it would be too hot (the only other time I've hiked here was in January, which seems a far more sensible time to go), but a faint breeze make it bearable.
Things I love about Diablo: it's less than an hour away without traffic, the trails don't get too crowded, and the absolutely stunning views.
Things I don't love about Diablo: there were few trees where we hiked, so it was pretty exposed with little shade - wear lots of sun screen! There are also some rocky, steep trails that made me nervous, especially going downhill - I had to walk so gingerly because I was sure that I was going to slip and fall right on my ass (but I didn't).
Diablo fails my personal "five star" hike criteria because there's no lake, river, or ocean views (though there is a waterfall at certain times of year), but I'm giving it five stars anyway, because of the killer views, and the fact that it makes me inexplicably happy when I see Mt. Diablo from other spots in the Bay Area, or from the window of a plane. Also, the name "Diablo" just sounds so bad-ass, and just by being there, I feel bad-ass by association.
Random Diablo tips: $6 car fee. Lots of picnic tables around the park and most were empty, so it's a great place to come for an impromptu picnic lunch. And watch out for the bicyclists on your way up the long winding road!
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Mt. Diablo seems to be somewhat of an ugly stepchild to most San Franciscans when it comes to hiking. Everyone talks about hiking Muir Woods or Mount Tam, and Mt. Diablo seems to be forgotten about.
So I've put together a few reasons why you should consider Mt. Diablo next time you go hiking:
1) It has really cool rock parks.
2) From the peak, you can see all the way to the bay and the central valley.
3) It is generally warmer than Mt. Tam and you can lay out on a rock and get some sun when you get to the top
4) It has tons of trails, so you rarely see other people if you stay on the lesss traveled ones.
5) You can pitch a tent and camp overnight there.
6) The sunsets are phenomenal.
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We went hiking here on one of those cool ocean-breeze late spring days. The hills were still clinging to the color green and the oak trees were vibrant. Furthermore, the poison oak was flourishing.
There's a lot to do here, hiking wise, but most of it involves trekking (sometimes straight) uphill (and then trying not to fall on the descent). I'm not sure I would have enjoyed myself without the breeze. But I will be back, try to do the whole thing (maybe not showing up at 3pm will help toward this end).
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Did you know that Mt. Diablo is the second most panoramic mountain in the world? On a clear day, you can see farther on the top of this mountain than you can see from the top of any other mountain in the world, save Mt. Kilimanjaro.
Mt. Diablo is an awesome place to visit. Rock City makes for good picnics and hiking, and all around the views on the mountain are beautiful. This is truly a landmark of the San Ramon Valley.
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While interning at the Contra Costa Times I learned the story behind Mount Diablo's name. Apparently a Native American tribe was having a conflagration with the army on this peaceful mountain, when all of the sudden this one huge warrior appeared and was so ferocious that he was able to drive the invading white men back. Apparently the local settlers called it Diablo Mountain because of this one strong brave kicking their but.
Anyway I have been hiking around this mountain for sometime (since I moved to the area in 89) and I have to say that it's a lovely place. They have some great picnic areas and it's a wonderful place for an outdoors outing with the family. I've seen many examples of local wildlife, rabbits, coyotes, hawks, and more.
My father used to go up here and catch snakes to keep as pets for a while then release back into the wild (which you really shouldn't do). We have seen gopher, grass and king snakes nothing poisonous and we were really looking for them so don't worry. He also caught a tarantula sunning himself on one of the roads, which was a very fun pet and he eventually released back into the park.
Occasionally there's even a dusting of snow on this mountain. If you're in the mood to hike or get outside on a nature outing go here!
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5 stars for an incredibly beautiful trek along a picturesque trail above the 'burbs.
0 stars for people who crowd the path and don't know to step aside for those hiking downhill.
5 stars for the exhilarating feeling when reaching the peak of a rocky and slippery climb and taking a moment to breathe in the intense panoramic view of the surrounding East Bay hills.
0 stars for people who drive their CO2 emitting vehicles to the summit, clutching their digital cameras and crowding the lookout building at the top instead of using their legs to hike the trail up.
And finally, 5 stars for the cool breezes curling around the mountain and pushing against my face just as I'm feeling overwhelmed by the dry heat and exhausting incline of the rocky uphill journey.
Okay, a trail head is 2 miles from my pad, and Northgate is 8 miles by bike. Whether I'm on the Road bike, the Mt. Bike, foot, whatever, this park is awesome. I love it best in spring when the wildflowers are up. One year the Burma Road/Mother's area off Northgate was so covered with poppies that it seemed rusty from a distance. Even straight, you would have been trippin.
Riding the road...Awesome ride. You can kill yourself and hammer it or just toodle along and enjoy the view. Riding the trails, well, I know the spots and maybe you should seek your own out. (Hint: buy and read the MDIA map)I got my fun dialed in.
Just hiking, well, I can always find a place away from the crowd and so many spots here are truly magic I could not even begin. Moses Rock Spring. Frog Pond. North Peak. Devil's Pulpit.
Check it out, not just for the views, but for the flowers that only grow here, for the Birds of Prey that roost up here (catch them hunting in the morning), and most especially for those days when you get above the fog and it is warm and sunny...
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It never ceases to amaze me that you don't really need to drive far, to feel so removed from the city. It had been a long time since I had come to this state park, which I have to say is lovely. There are lots of trails and picnic areas. The summit has a small visitor center and beautiful vista point. It was nice to learn about the history and incredible to think surveying of public lands was done from the mountain top. I was very glad I made time for the trek on Saturday. It was totally worth the trip to take some pictures of nature - especially with good company ...
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A winter's day run. Running on the singletrack, winding through the trees, the occasional view of deer and rabbit and today, thankfully, far fewer sightings of other people and no horses. Ah,, my favorite time of year, clear and crisp air, views of the valley and some left over snow. Beautiful and so close to my home, I can run here without getting into the car. Talk about being green!
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8/21/2007
I live in Clayton and run and bike the trails on Mt. Diablo all the time. Beating the heat by… Read more »
Recommended by friends as one of a few hikes to do prior to Half Dome. Yep, I'm crazy and I'm hiking Half Dome in July!
Donner Canyon Waterfall Loop ~ 5.7 mile moderate hike (strenuous for weenies) with quite a few steep climbs and total elevation increase of 1300 feet
http://www.bahiker.com...
The first part of the trail is nothing spectacular, though we did see a small group of turkeys under some trees. The Falls Trail had more gradual ups and downs and great vistas ... you can see many miles around.
Don't expect to see waterfalls in the summer!!! We went the last weekend in May and they were barely trickling. Needless to say, the people who came with me were not thrilled since that was the common motivation.
It took our group 3.5 hours ... and we're not out of shape, but we don't exercise every day either.
Would not recommend as an especially scenic hike unless you do it in winter or whenever the waterfalls are gushing. And then you may have to worry about muddy conditions. Good exercise. I liked it. Friends were glad they did it, but wouldn't go back.
**Cover up, my shoulders got burnt!**
Next stop, Mission Peak...
I used to come bouldering at Rock City in High School. I never went as far as to immortalize myself with my clique of friends in the rocks, but now that I look back, I wish I had.
The hiking trails are really incredible here. Fantastic views of the surrounding valley, and as a bonus, much like others have mentioned, whenever I see Mt. Diablo from afar, it makes me happy. The name diablo connotes death and suffering, but I can only equate that with what it must be like to try and ride your bike to the top.
Camping was only so-so; our fire-pit was pretty miserable, aka it wasn't a pit at all, but a raised grill-structure. This made it difficult to sit around the campfire at night and tell ghost stories/sing songs. I guess it just means I'll come for the hiking and bouldering and leave the camping for other state parks.
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This review: Mitchell Rock trail to Eagle Peak, a northside hike from the Mitchell Canyon visitor center. Mitchell Rock trail is not signed from the parking lot: go up Mitchell Canyon trail and take the first road on the left, which will lead you shortly to the head of the Mitchell Rock-Eagle Peak trail.
In April, when it's sunny but cool, you couldn't ask for a finer moderate hike, maybe a 6 mile roundtrip and about 1850 ft. of climbing from the parking lot. Allow for 4 hours, giving you time to rest on top for a bit. Though parts of the trail are strenuous, if you are at all in shape you should be fine.
When you reach the top you're rewarded with thrilling views of the mountain and the wide green lands to the east, tree-filled towns which appear much like the hobbit-villages of Middle Earth far below.
Warning: DO bring a staff or hiking pole. While the ascent has no real challenges, descending the steep parts of the dusty, gravelly, dirt trail is treacherous, and you're almost guaranteed that your boots will slip out from under you many times on the way down. Luckily there're no nearby cliffs to plunge over, and there's brush to grab, but you'll be much better off with a pole.
It was a fantastic way to spend Labor Day. In need of some elevation-gain hiking as I prepare for a Mt. Whitney ascent later this month, I rallied some friends into a 7-mile excursion around Mt. Diablo's northern side, near the town of Clayton. Three and a half hours later we were beat, but happy to have discovered something new in our backyard.
We started off from Regency Gate which is on the edge of one of Clayton's residential neighborhoods and were pleased that on this 85+ degree day that we were shaded by lots of oaks and chapparal. We caught the Falls Trail and promised to return come springtime when we'll actually be able to see water falling over the volcanic rock. A nice wide dry creek bed in the shade served as a perfect midway point stop for lunch and shortly after we were afforded beautiful views of the Suisun Bay and Clayton below.
A moderate hike, made tougher with the heat, but well worth it.
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